Gamer Boy
by mushi9
Summary: The annual 'Call of Duty' competition is back again. Lucy is determined to reclaim the title as Fiore's best team, but first she has to beat last year's winners, 'The Dragons'. She won't let anything stand in her way, especially not the annoying team captain of the opponent's team. No distractions, no slip ups, and certainly no secret make out sessions with her rival. Modern AU.
1. Video Games

**This is part of my submission for nalu week 2017. It is rated T for cussing and slightly suggestive themes later on. I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does. I do not give anyone permission to repost any parts of this story anywhere. Please be respectful. It will not focus too much on the actual game play, more on what goes on around it.**

* * *

 **Chapter One: Video Games (Bonus Day 1)**

"Lucy! Hey Lucy!"

Lucy flinched, dread filling her body. "Oh no," she mumbled, a shaky hand lifting to cover her face, but she knew it wasn't going to help. "He's already here?"

Levy giggled beside her, pulling her suitcase out of the trunk to place on the sidewalk. "Looks like your rival is calling you."

While her and Juvia snickered, Lucy shot them a glare. "He's not my rival!" Her eye twitched when they continued laughing. "He's not my _anything!_ " Despite her words, she refused to acknowledge him, even after she heard his shoes scraping against the parking lot. _'Does he not know how to pick up his feet?!'_

"Lucy!" His voice was louder now, the man standing directly behind her. She could see his shadow surrounding her.

"Not going to look," she whispered, grabbing her own bags before pulling them out of the car. "Just ignore him and he'll go away."

"Not likely," he said, startling her because she felt something brush against her arm.

She whirled around, ready to smack him if he was trying anything funny, only to sigh when she saw it was his overly-fluffy white scarf that touched her. Every time she saw him he was wearing it, even when it was mid-summer. _'Why is he still wearing it in this heat?'_

Instead of asking that, Lucy muttered, "What do you want, Dragneel?" Her voice was laced with her aggravation, but he didn't seem to notice. Why did he insist on talking to her? Wasn't ignoring him every other year enough of a hint for him to take? She didn't want to talk to that smug asshole.

"How was the drive?" he asked, waving at her friends before looking at her again.

Lucy's eye twitched as she tried to figure out what he was trying to do. "Fine," Lucy said, but her tone suggested otherwise. Being cramped in a car for seven hours with Erza, Levy, and Juvia had given Lucy a headache. She was just thankful they had the night off before the competition began tomorrow.

"Me and the guys are going to get something to eat in a bit. You wanna join us?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at the offer. She opened her mouth to tell him 'no', but Levy cut her off, voice louder than normal.

"We'd love to come!"

 _'Traitor!'_ Lucy thought, but that wasn't what came out of her mouth. "Levy!" she snapped, glaring at her friend. "We need to get some sleep before tomorrow." It was a lame excuse, she knew, but it was all she had. The opening ceremony wasn't until ten in the morning, giving them plenty of time for sleep.

"Yeah," Levy started, nodding her head, "And we need to eat too. What's the harm?"

 _'The harm is being near Natsu!'_ Lucy wanted to shout in frustration, but she kept her thoughts to herself. "Whatever."

"Great!" Natsu grinned, turning away from Lucy to face Levy. "We'll be at 8-Island in an hour. Meet us there?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Will Gray be there?" Juvia asked, hands filling with her wavy blue locks. Her pale cheeks tinted a light shade of red, her eyes falling to the ground.

Natsu nodded, jerking a thumb behind him. "He's inside gettin' us checked in, but he'll be there." After Juvia smiled, Natsu looked to Levy again. "Gajeel's gonna be there too, in case you wanted to know."

Lucy bit her tongue, not wanting to spoil her friend's good moods. She didn't understand why, but she knew the two girls were crushing on some of Natsu's teammates. Their other friend, Erza, was also suspected of having a thing for one of the guys too, but she denied the claim.

Lucy seemed to be the only one not smitten over one of the Dragon Boys - _as she liked to call them in her head_. They were last year's winners, beating her team in the final round. She clenched her teeth when she thought about the humiliation she felt coming in second place, angry that she had been beaten.

She was determined to take first place this year.

Sighing to release some of her anger, Lucy shut the trunk before grabbing her bags. "I'm going to see if Erza's done checking us in," she mumbled, doubting they would hear her.

"I'll walk with you," Natsu offered, but once she shot him a glare, he flinched. "Or... not?"

" _Not_ is correct," Lucy said before turning away, heading towards the hotel lobby. She didn't understand why Natsu was always trying to be chummy with her. They were enemies, nothing more. She couldn't afford to get distracted by him. Not again.

She would win, no matter the cost.

* * *

Lucy didn't dress to impress for their dinner with the guys. She wore a baggy hoodie and jeans, her long blonde hair thrown into a messy ponytail. It wasn't as if she was having dinner with a prince. It was just the Dragon Boys. The next few days were going to be stressful enough. She might as well be comfortable before it started.

"Hey ya, Luce!" Natsu called out when he saw the four girls approaching.

She narrowed her eyes at him, debating if she should say something or not. Her late mother always taught her to pick her battles, and this felt like one she wanted to pick.

She watched as her friends went to talk to the other guys, leaving Lucy and Natsu off to the side. Keeping her voice low, she scolded him. "My name's Lucy. Not Luce. Get it right."

"Sorry," he said with a laugh, cupping the back of his neck. " _Lucy_ , how've you been?"

She tried taking a deep breath to calm herself down, but it didn't work. She gritted her teeth as she looked away from him. "Please, stop acting like we're buddies." She failed to keep the malice out of her voice.

Natsu cocked his head, pink bangs sliding over his forehead. His expression reflected his confusion. "Are you mad at me or something?"

Biting her inner cheek hard, she shook her head. "I'm not mad," she mumbled, aggravation slipping into her tone despite her efforts to stay neutral. She always got more agitated during competition time, but Natsu seemed to bring out the worst in her. "But it doesn't mean I have to talk to you either."

She may or may not have been bitter that her team lost to him last year. It was a close match, but she felt she could have beaten him if he hadn't gotten in her head. With his toothy grin and his bright green eyes, it was hard to focus on her task ahead. She wanted to yell, angry at herself for getting distracted. Not this year. She was going to win.

And to do that, she had to keep Natsu and every other distraction out of her head.

Natsu didn't get a chance to respond to her, Jellal coming out of the restaurant to tell them their table was ready. Lucy followed silently, shooting Natsu a filthy look when he had the audacity to tell her she looked nice. She knew he was lying. He was just trying to get on her nerves. It was the only explanation.

The eight of them sat at a large table, Lucy purposely trying to sit far away from Natsu, but her friends had other plans. She barely held back the urge to groan when he was placed across from her, giving her that toothy grin that made her heart flip.

 _'Asshole.'_

Lucy kept her head down while they ordered and waited for their food, playing on her phone despite knowing her behavior was considered rude. She couldn't help it. Everyone was talking as if they didn't have a competition tomorrow. For all intents and purposes, Lucy considered the Dragon Boys her enemies, Natsu especially.

She tapped on her screen aggressively, playing a game while she avoided eye contact with everyone. She had a lot riding on this competition. Not only was there the grand prize of 200,000 jewels to the winner, but her pride was on the line too. She couldn't come in second place again. It was too humiliating the last time.

 _'Then Natsu had to go and rub it in that he won,'_ Lucy inwardly scowled, choosing then to shoot him a glare. She jolted when she accidentally made eye contact with him, ducking her head to curse him out in her mind.

Just like two years ago, Natsu took her by surprise. When she first saw him, it had been when he made it to the third day. She didn't think 'The Dragons' were going to make it that far seeing as it was their first competition after all. She wasn't worried about him. The year before, Lucy's team took third place. She was confident she was going to do well that year too.

When it came down to her team and his, she was shocked. She couldn't believe a newbie team like his was in the finals! It was tough, but her team won in the end, taking home first place.

Then, last year's competition happened, breaking Lucy's confidence. Her team came in second, Natsu's team claiming victory. She wasn't going to let that happen ever again. Not as long as she had something to do about it.

She trained harder after that, never letting a day go by that she didn't play at least a little bit of her games. Her fingers moved faster than ever, her brain forming plans at the drop of a hat. She was better than ever, and she was ready to prove it.

Lucy looked at Natsu again, thankful he was arguing with Gray about something. She glanced down at her phone, but the game had been paused for a while, her fingers frozen. Thoughts of past competitions and games flooding her mind.

People called her competitive, making it sound like a bad word. She considered herself passionate, loving the thrill of fighting to the top, taking down anyone who stood in her way.

It wasn't as if video games were her entire life. She also went to college to write...

Codes for video games... Okay, so maybe video games were a big part of her life. She had other hobbies... somewhere...

Lucy's lip twitched into a smile when their food arrived. It wouldn't be long until she could go back to the hotel and relax before the big day tomorrow. There would be two teams she would go against to make it to the second day. With any luck, her team would fight with Natsu's. That way she could knock them out early.

While eating, Lucy occasionally listened to the conversations around her. Levy and Gajeel were talking about some new arcade bar down the street. Erza and Jellal were discussing the convention center where the competition was held. Juvia was cheering on Gray, who was in a competition with Natsu to see who could eat the most breadsticks.

Lucy paled, wondering how they were eating all that and would still have room for their actual food. She ignored the goofy look on Natsu's face as he shoved the food in his mouth, barely chewing before he swallowed it whole. At that rate, he was going to choke. As much as Lucy wanted him out of the games, she didn't want it to be by death.

"You should chew more," she mumbled, surprised when Natsu looked over at her.

He stared silently for a few seconds before grinning, turning his attention back to the breadsticks as the contest went on. She was only a little pleased with herself when she saw him making more of an effort to chew before swallowing it down.

Lucy returned her attention to her food, hoping the meal would end shortly. She once again stayed quiet as she ate, listening to everyone else talk. It was a shame, really. In another situation, maybe Lucy would have been friends with the Dragon Boys. If she looked past their loud and disgusting behavior, they weren't that bad.

But, they were her enemies, so Lucy didn't bother getting to know them. Besides, she had enough friends. Erza, Juvia, and Levy.

After they finished eating, the girls headed to the hotel with the guys. Lucy grumbled to herself when she saw they were all on the same floor, but luckily the guys were a few rooms down. She didn't know what she would do if they were right next door or across from her.

The girls took turns getting ready for bed, Lucy being the last one out of the bathroom. She crawled into a spacious bed, Levy sleeping on the other side. The room they booked had two beds, so they had to share. It was better than one king bed.

Lucy tried ignoring the nervousness she felt about tomorrow, knowing it wouldn't do her any good. She had to stay focus, alert, and ready. _'Aren't those all the same thing?'_ she asked herself, but she was too tired to answer. She closed her eyes, hoping luck would be on their side tomorrow, not that she thought they needed it.

* * *

Lucy clapped with everyone else when the opening ceremonies concluded. It wasn't much different than the ones she saw before. The only exciting part to her was the mentions of the teams. She recognized a lot of the names, but some were new. Either way, she was going to take them out.

She followed the crowd to the lobby, walking straight up to a large billboard on the wall with the tournament brackets. She pulled out her phone, snapping a picture of them before actually reading the names.

She snorted when she saw 'The Dragons' were placed at number one, knowing it was randomly generated. _'They won't be number one for long. I'll show them who's boss.'_

Her eyes languidly scrolled down the list, noting the teams she knew and the ones she didn't. Some were known to be better than others, but the new ones were something to think twice about. They had less experience in this competition, but they also had the advantage of taking everyone by surprise, just like Natsu's team had.

Then again, her team did the same their first year competing, taking third place.

Lucy frowned when she saw her team, 'The Fairies', were at thirty-two. Her eye twitched, but she tried not to let it get her down. Sure, their name was listed last, but that didn't mean anything. She would be number one in a few days, she was sure of it.

She looked at her first opponents. It was a team called 'Twilight Ogre'. She wasn't worried. Despite not going against them before, she knew they weren't that impressive. Last year they got eliminated the second day in their first match. Her team could destroy them. They all got a good night's sleep and were ready to play.

Lucy walked with her team, heading to the room where their first match would take place. Before entering the room, she took a deep breath, her mind clearing and her heart racing. This was the thrill she always felt before crushing her opponents.

All her life people told her she would never be good at anything. Even her own father told her she would be better at becoming a housewife than trying to make something of herself. Despite that, she kept trying, determined to prove herself.

She knew she couldn't do it alone. Her friends were always there for support. Erza was the best sniper around, while Levy was great at setting up traps and ambushes. Juvia was faster than other players, able to make it across the map without getting spotted or killed. She was amazing at 'Capture the Flag' and 'Search and Destroy'.

And Lucy, well, she was best with her shotgun and pistols. They weren't anything flashy, but they got the job done. She had a high kill rate and a low death rate every game, usually coming out with the most points.

With all of them combined, they were a force to be reckoned with.

Lucy's team was on one side of the room while the players of 'Twilight Ogre' were on the other side. The audience sat in between, a large monitor in front of them to show the different screens.

There were nine screens total. Eight for the players and one large one in the middle that jumped around from screen to screen, highlighting certain parts of the game. The player's screens would alternate between their game and their webcam feed, but it was impossible for the players to know which was showing since they were forced to keep their eyes on their screens. If not, they would surely lose.

Each game consisted of five matches. The goal was to win three out of five to progress to the next round. It seemed simple enough, but Lucy knew it was easy to get over cocky and mess up.

Lucy listened to the announcer introduce himself and the players. He reminded everyone of the rules before the first match began, Lucy's heart already pounding in her chest as a smile broke over her features. This was what she lived for, the fight.

Her fingers shook for only a second before she took in a sharp breath, her eyes on the countdown.

 _Match begins in_

 _9_

 _8_

 _7_

Lucy selected her weapons, her eyes darting over the screen.

 _6_

 _5_

 _4_

She cleared her throat, ready to talk into her mic if she needed to.

 _3_

 _'This is it.'_

 _2_

 _'Get ready.'_

 _1_

"Let's begin!"

* * *

Lucy gulped down her water once she sat down. Playing video games wasn't exactly physically exhausting, but it was mentally tiring. She flexed her fingers, not wanting them to get stiff for her next game.

They won the last round against 'Twilight Ogre'. Despite it being an easy win, Lucy was still hyped. Her team was moving to the next round, facing off against 'Mermaid Heel' in a few hours. Apparently, they took down 'Succubus Eye' without losing a single match, but Lucy wasn't worried. She never personally went up against 'Mermaid Heel', but she was confident in her team's abilities.

As Lucy reached for the fries she was sharing with Levy, she heard a familiar voice calling Erza's name. She glanced up, seeing Jellal giving the redhead a thumbs up. "I heard your team did great last match."

Erza smiled at the man, giving him a short nod. "I hear you did good too. Congratulated on taking down 'Quatro Cerberus'. Who are you going against next?"

Lucy shoved a few fries in her mouth to distract herself from the answer. She may or may not have sneaked a peek at the top of the brackets where Natsu's team was at. She knew the other girls looked too, so she didn't know why Erza was asking.

 _'She's probably making conversation,'_ Lucy reasoned, washing down her food with another gulp of her drink. The food at the convention center wasn't the best, but she was too hungry to care.

Natsu's team would be going against 'Blue Pegasus' later. Lucy didn't know which would be an easier match, them or 'Mermaid Heel'. She kind of wished she wasn't going up against a team full of women. More power to the girls who wanted to play, but Lucy personally loved seeing the look in guys' eyes when her team of females defeated them. It was so fun and satisfying, sending a thrill straight to her bones.

"Lu, should we check out the other teams or rest after this?" Levy asked, pulling the yellow headband from her hair to let her wavy blue locks free. She always wore her hair back during matches.

Lucy thought about it for a moment before saying, "I think we should pop in a bit to see who else is still playing. Then we can rest."

"Scoping out the competition? That's a good idea."

Lucy would have been happy to hear those words from Levy, but unfortunately for her, they came from a pink haired idiot who didn't know when to keep his mouth shut.

Instead of acknowledging him, she ignored his presence.

"Did ya hear me?" Natsu asked, trying to move into her line of vision, but Lucy kept looking away. "Lucy?"

After a moment of silence, she guessed he took the hint. He sighed before walking off to go join Gray and Gajeel at a table across the cafe. Jellal left soon after that, leaving the girls alone.

"So, look at the competition before a break?" Juvia asked, cocking her head.

Lucy nodded, returning her attention back to her food. "We should see what we're up against," she reasoned. It was smart to take a look.

For the most part, Lucy stayed quiet while everyone finished eating, occasionally contributing to their conversations as she resisted the urge to look up and to the left, knowing she would see a certain Dragon Boy she didn't want to see. She couldn't figure out why he felt the need to insert himself in her conversation with Levy earlier. It was rude. What if she had been discussing strategies for their next match?

 _'He's probably trying to get information to use to beat us. not this year you slimy salamander.'_

She'd be damned if she let him get in her way of victory.

* * *

Lucy's eyes darted around her screen, her fingers moving swiftly as she made it across the map undetected. "Erza, I'm coming around the plane crash. What's your position?"

"I'm in front of the shack," she replied immediately, her voice in Lucy's ear from the headset. "Do you need me there?"

"No, this area's dead."

"They keep going to the South side of the map," Levy said. "I'd try there. I'm heading that way now."

"See you there," Lucy said, her character taking off in a sprint. She saw something move in the corner of her screen, her reflexes kicking in instantly. She jumped, barely avoiding her enemies fire. While still in the air, she fired off four shots to the target, eliminating them.

It wasn't time to celebrate though.

Another enemy player rushed at her just as she landed, firing off a shotgun. Lucy's screen picked up a red tint, letting her know she was injured, but not dead. She took cover before she could get shot again, throwing a grenade over the rock she was hiding behind.

The corner of her lip quirked up when she saw she killed the enemy. 'Mermaid Heel' was tough, but they weren't going to quit now. There was no way her team was being taken down on day one.

 _'Or at all for that matter.'_

Lucy's team fought hard. In the end, they won, but it was a close match, coming down to the fifth match before the winner was decided. Juvia made the winning kill, advancing them to the next round, which would start tomorrow morning. Lucy and her team shook hands with their opponents, saying 'good game' before heading to the lobby.

As the girls walked down the hall, Levy asked, "Who wants to look around downtown? Gajeel was telling me about an arcade bar not too far from here. It sounds fun."

"I could use a celebratory drink," Erza said, turning to the team captain to see what she thought.

Lucy shrugged, not seeing a problem. They were done for the day since the next match was tomorrow morning. "Sounds fun, just don't drink too much."

As the girls started walking towards the exit, they noticed Lucy stopped moving. "Aren't you coming with us?" Levy asked, raising her brow.

Shaking her head, Lucy nodded towards the information desk. "I'll meet you there. I need to ask where we're going tomorrow."

"We can wait-" Juvia started, but Lucy was already shaking her head again.

"I don't mind, really. I'll catch up later."

Her teammates hesitated before waving goodbye, heading towards the bar. Lucy yawned as she turned, walking towards the information desk. It was located next to the tournament brackets. She wanted to stay on top of the competition, and part of that was knowing who they were going up against.

However, when she got there, she was informed the teams weren't all done yet, so they didn't know who her team would be going up against tomorrow. With a sigh, Lucy thanked the lady before heading down the same hall she came from.

She avoided everyone's gaze as she looked from room to room, trying to figure out which one they were in. Lucy halted when she heard loud cheering coming from one of the rooms. Ignoring her goal to find the team she might compete against next, Lucy followed the sound.

Stepping into the dark room, Lucy made her way to the side so she wouldn't be in anyone's way. The only light came from the large monitor on the wall, nine screens displayed. Her eyes stayed on the main screen in the middle, the one that kept jumping from player to player.

She watched for a while, a small smirk tugging at her lips when she noticed one of the players dressed in red and black was taking out their opponents as if they were nothing. She glanced up to read the name in the corner of the screen, frowning when she saw who it belonged to.

 _'Damn Dragon Boy...'_

When the main screen changed to another player, Lucy's eyes flitted to the other screens, involuntarily trying to find him. She stopped when she saw the pink hair, a furrow to his brow as his eyes darted around his computer monitor. She barely suppressed a growl, finding his expression smug despite having no evidence to support her thought.

She knew she should have left the room right after finding out it was the wrong place, but her feet stayed planted on the ground. The screen for Natsu kept going back and forth between his game and his webcam. Watching him now brought back her memories of last year. She peeked in on a few of his matches, trying to convince herself it was just because she was curious about her competition and nothing else.

She would never admit the real reason out loud. Hell, she barely admitted it to herself, but she found Natsu very attractive - _for a moronic Dragon Boy that was_. With his exotic pink hair, his gorgeous green eyes, and his toothy grin, it was hard to resist his natural good looks, but she did her best.

She knew deep down part of her reason for being so rude to him was because she was trying to make it seem like she didn't like him, which she didn't! But she didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea. Pair that with his attitude, Lucy didn't feel bad about ignoring him most of the time. It was just the way things were.

Lucy sighed before heading out of the room. With the way that match was going, Natsu's team was going to win soon. She didn't want to be standing there when they finished. Getting caught watching her enemies wasn't on her list of things to do today.

She was going to have to step up her game if she wanted to beat Natsu. She thought her training was enough, but from what she saw, Natsu trained just as hard. Her team almost lost the last round, meaning she definitely couldn't afford any distractions. She had to get her head in the game.

But first, she had to check out her possible opponent for tomorrow. She found the correct room where 'Blue Skull' and 'Raven Tail' were competing. She watched the matches unfold. In the end, it was 'Raven Tail' who won, beating them in the fourth match to claim victory. Lucy hadn't gone against them before, but they usually lost early on.

If she hadn't almost lost today, she wouldn't be worried, but now she was a little rattled.

As Lucy headed towards the lobby to leave, she got stopped by a woman dressed in a tight black dress and an obvious black wig on. Without saying a word, she handed Lucy a yellow flyer before moving on to someone else.

Lucy paused before looking down at it, her brows pinching together as she read what it said. "A Gothic theme?" she mumbled, seeing it was an advertisement for a local night club.

She shrugged as she slipped the flyer into her pocket, wondering if her friends would want to go. A night out sounded fun, but she would need to talk to the girls first. They would all have to come to an agreement seeing as they had a match in the morning.

"I'm sure we can beat 'Raven Tail'," she said to herself as she walked to the arcade bar. She had to use Google to find it, but it looked to be a straight shot from the convention.

When she arrived, she found her friends at the back, hanging around a few skee-ball machines. She didn't think anything of it when she walked up to them, showing Levy the flyer first. "This looks fun. Should we go?"

Levy bit at her bottom lip, forcing a smile on her face. " _Actually_..." She couldn't finish, but Erza could.

"We were going to ask you if you wanted to go. The guys already invited us."

"Guys?" Lucy asked, eyes widening when she turned, seeing Gajeel, Gray, and Jellal approaching. She opened her mouth to say more, but her voice caught in her throat when she felt someone patting her back.

"Hey Lucy! You goin' to the party too?"

Lucy shrugged Natsu off of her, eyes narrowing as she stepped away. She tried glaring at him, but she knew it wasn't as effective with her cheeks glowing red. "I _was_... But now I'm _definitely_ not going."

She turned around, trying to put on a tough exterior as she headed to a different part of the arcade. Despite her declaration, Lucy was already wondering, _'Did I pack any black clothes I can wear?'_

She may or may not have wanted to look good tonight, but it had absolutely _nothing_ to do with that annoying Dragon Boy.

* * *

 **In this story, Lucy is a hardcore gamer girl. Not the sexy kind that just poses next to a controller. She takes this seriously, training all year to be the best. Though, I'm sure Natsu wouldn't mind seeing Lucy take a sexy selfie with a controller. *wink wink***

 **If you haven't checked it out, look at the cover photo for this story. I drew Natsu as a sexy gamer boy. :P**

 **I'm sure everyone noticed, but Lucy's a little competitive. *cough cough** _ **rude**_ **cough cough* :) She has her reasons for not liking Natsu, though not everyone would agree they're good reasons. Next chapter is more of Natsu's POV. :)**

 **Up next, Chapter Two: Gothic**

 **Let me know what you thought of this chapter! I hope you enjoy this story.**


	2. Gothic

**Chapter Two: Gothic (Bonus Day 2)**

Natsu laughed at his reflection, a toothy grin painted on his face that didn't match his appearance. He made a trip to the mall to get ready for tonight, deciding he wanted to go all out. The ends of his bright pink hair were temporarily dyed black. The box said it would last until he washed it, so he hoped it came out when he showered tonight.

He used black nail polish to paint his nails, as well as used black eyeliner to give himself a gothic look. Though, he was starting to worry he went a little overboard. He didn't want to look emo after all.

He wore a simple black shirt that went well with his black jeans. Luckily, he didn't have to buy either of those since he packed them for the weekend, but he wasn't planning on wearing them both at the same time. He did end up buying a pair of black boots, but he knew he could use those for more than just tonight since they matched some of his other outfits.

Natsu removed his scarf, playing it on the desk beside the full length mirror. It wouldn't match with what he wore tonight, even though he hated going without it. Truthfully, he didn't normally wear it so often, but after Lucy made a snide remark about him never taking it off last year, he decided to mess with her and make sure he always wore it around her. It was just one of the many things he did to have fun with her.

Striking a pose, Natsu said, "I could totally be a ninja!"

Gray walked by, snorting as he shook his head. "Ninja's are supposed to be quiet. You'd never make the cut."

"Oi!" Natsu yelled, shaking a fist at his best friend. "I'd rather be noisy than naked!"

Gray glanced down, sighing when he saw he was in nothing but his boxers, little white snowflakes adorning the blue material. "Damn it," he mumbled, retracing his steps. "Where'd I take them off?"

Natsu turned away from Gray so he could look at his reflection again. His tongue came out, licking over the piercing on the left side of his bottom lip. It was very fresh and stung a little when he nudged it with his tongue too hard, but overall, he was getting used to the new addition to his face.

What he wasn't getting used to was the eyebrow piercing on his left side. Gajeel told him those wouldn't hurt, and admittedly it didn't, but it was annoying as hell. Every time he went to raise his brow or move it in general, he felt it. Luckily for him, his two piercings were coming out after the party.

He thought it looked awesome, but his friends had other ideas.

* * *

 _"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jellal asked as Natsu sat in the chair. "You might regret it later."_

 _Natsu laughed, shaking his head before the lady told him to stay still. "You're the one with a face tattoo. I think a few piercings'll be fine."_

 _Gray sighed, but he didn't say anything to stop Natsu from going through with it. Apparently, he thought it was hilarious, even if he also thought it was stupid. "Can't make your face look any worse."_

 _Gajeel was the only one adamantly against the idea. "Piercings are my thing," he grumbled, arms crossed over his chest. The man had nine piercings on his face alone, not counting the ones in his ears, tongue, or arm. There was also one below his belt, but Natsu didn't like thinking of that. It was bad enough when he accidentally saw it after walking in on Gajeel in the bathroom._

 _Natsu wasn't going for anything too extreme. He just wanted something to give him an edge. He stuck with an eyebrow and his lip, knowing the holes would grow back soon enough. Even if it was going to be painful, he wanted to look the part._

 _"Hold still," the lady said as she brought the piercing gun up to his face. "This will only sting for a second."_

* * *

The piercings were painful for a moment, but soon they turned into a dull ache until he got used to it. They'd come out soon enough anyway. He wasn't worried about wasting the money tonight. They were only thirty bucks a piece, but he spent more money on some games that he beat in only a few hours.

He had a scholarship for his tuition, plus he worked at the school's cafeteria to help pay for his books and supplies. He walked nearly everywhere, so there was no use in buying a car. Plus, he still had money left over from the grand prize last year, and the second place prize from the year before. It wasn't nearly as much as first place took, but it was a nice chunk of money.

Overall, he was doing well financially.

"Is everyone ready to go?" Jellal asked as he came out of the bathroom. His normally-blue hair was now mostly black. He borrowed what was left of Natsu's temporary hair dye since the other two men naturally had black hair.

Well, Gray's was actually a dark blue, but it looked black. It was the reason he didn't mind when people made the mistake.

"I'm good," Gray muttered as he pulled on his jeans, a black shirt hanging over his bare shoulders.

"Gajeel's downstairs in the lobby already," Natsu said as he turned away from the mirror, satisfied with his appearance. He couldn't stop the giddy smile that surfaced on his face. He was sure to catch Lucy's attention tonight.

 _'There's no way she can ignore me now!'_

* * *

The music at the night club was louder than Natsu expected. He didn't normally go to clubs, but tonight was an exception. He followed his friends towards the dance floor, but somewhere through the large crowd, he got separated from them. He frowned for only a few seconds before deciding he didn't want to spend the whole night trying to track them down. Instead, he headed to the bar for a drink to get the night started.

He ordered a beer before turning around in his bar stool, taking a look at the club. The lights were dim with red spotlights shining overhead to go along with the beat of the music. A few people were wearing normal clothes, sticking out like sore thumbs since mostly everyone dressed in some type of dark clothing.

When Natsu's beer was served, he paid the bartender before taking a swig. He wasn't a heavy drinker, but he could hold his own after a few beers. He didn't want to get drunk since he had a competition tomorrow. He was going up against 'The Spriggans'. He didn't know what to expect since this was their first year, but he heard they dominated their last two matches.

Natsu was ready to take them head on tomorrow, knowing he couldn't afford to lose to anyone. He needed to make it to the finals so he could go up against Lucy's team again. Hopefully, after he won, he would get a different outcome than last year.

Speaking of Lucy, Natsu couldn't spot the girl in the crowd. Even though she said she wasn't going to come out tonight, he was really hoping she would show up. While looking around, he managed to spot Erza and Juvia on the dance floor. He perked up, thinking, _'If they're here, then she's probably here too.'_

Just as Natsu was about to stand up and go look for Lucy, someone stepped in front of him. It was a girl he had never seen before, but she looked friendly enough judging by the smile on her face. "Are you Natsu? From 'The Dragons'?"

"Uh... Yeah?" He cocked his head, wondering how she knew his name. "Do we know each other?"

She shook her head, her smile growing as she started digging in her purse. "No, I just really wanted to meet you. I thought it was you, but the hair threw me off."

Natsu let out some air through his nose as his hand came up, fingers threading through his black-tipped locks. "Yeah. Dyed it for tonight."

"It looks great," she said as she pulled out a booklet. He recognized it as the one they handed out for the tournament. "I was wondering if you could sign it? I was going to ask tomorrow, but I saw you tonight and thought it would be a good time?"

She looked down, spotting the beer in his hand. "Oh shoot. I'm being rude aren't I? You don't want to be bothered now."

Natsu shook his head, setting his beer down as he chuckled. "Nah, it's fine. I don't mind."

He held out his hand, receiving the booklet and a pen she pulled from her purse. After turning to the page she asked him to, he signed his name. He noticed she had a few other signatures in her book as well. His smile grew when she thanked him.

When he first started playing video games competitively, he never thought someone would ever ask for his autograph. He was more than happy to help considering he once stood where she was a few years back, doing the same thing.

"Thank you!" she practically squealed as she held the booklet to her chest. "Good luck tomorrow! I'm rooting for you to win this year too!"

Natsu nodded, glad there were people out there cheering for his team. "That's the plan. We're takin' first again, guaranteed."

She smiled as she slipped the booklet into her purse. As she turned to leave, she stopped, biting on her bottom lip as she said, "This might sound weird, and if you say no I'll totally respect your decision, but-" she swallowed, eyes falling to the side so she didn't have to meet his gaze, "can I hug you?"

Natsu raised a brow, feeling his piercing shift. He thought the request was odd, but he shrugged anyway. She was polite after all. "Sure."

The hug was brief, but it seemed to make the girl happy. After thanking him again, she waved as she walked away, saying something about looking for his other teammates for their autograph.

Natsu couldn't fault her for her excitement. He was just like that the first time he ever watched a tournament. He had teams sign his booklet, wanting to collect all the best team's signatures before the weekend was over.

He was nervous when it came to asking Lucy for her autograph. According to the announcer at the Opening Ceremonies that year, it was 'The Fairies' first time competing. Judging by how her team played, he would have never guessed it. They seemed unstoppable, even if they only took third that year. He got her teammates' signatures, but he was too nervous to go up to her until the second to last day, right before the match she finally lost.

When he worked up the courage, he walked right up to her, pausing when he saw someone step in front of him. It was a guy Natsu recognized because he got his autograph the day before, but his team was taken down right after that.

Natsu watched as the guy asked Lucy out, but she said no. _"I don't have time for guys who can't get on my level,"_ she has said, smirking at him.

That was the first time the idea of seriously competing in the tournament sparked in his head. Of course, he shrugged the thought away, thinking it was silly to compete just because of a girl.

He got her signature, but only after asking Gray to do it for him. He wasn't going to risk pissing her off after watching her tear that guy a new one, but he didn't mind sending Gray in to take the heat.

As the matches went on for the rest of the day, the thought of competing grew stronger. It wasn't until he saw Lucy's team, who was competing for the first time, take third place that he decided he really wanted to go for it. She made it look so easy. He made it his goal to face off against her team.

He trained all year, convincing his friends to do the same so they could enter the tournament next year. They were already good, but Natsu needed them to be the best.

The following year, his team took second, surprising nearly every one. With that under his belt, Natsu finally felt ready to talk to Lucy, only to get a surprise of his own. The first thing he said to her was, _"Great game! We almost had ya!"_

To which, she scoffed, placed a hand on her hip, then laughed. _"Please. You never stood a chance."_

As Natsu took another drink of his beer, he thought about how shocked he was to find out Lucy wasn't very approachable. He thought it was just that one instance, but she did it again and again after that. He wasn't going to let that stop him from trying to talk to her though.

He trained harder after that, hoping he would get her attention in a positive way. During last year's tournament, he spent most of his free time either playing games or trying to talk to Lucy. His friends got along well with her friends, but Natsu couldn't seem to form a friendship with Lucy despite his efforts. He didn't give up though, determined to get her to talk to him, even after he beat her.

Somewhere along the way, Natsu developed a small crush on Lucy. It wasn't hard, considering he spent a lot of his time thinking about her. He remembered what she said to the guy a few years before about not having time for people who couldn't get on her level. He thought since he beat her, she would want to talk to him.

However, instead of congratulating him or saying anything halfway pleasant like he thought she would, she got pissed, saying it was just a fluke that he won.

He thought she would be impressed, but she wasn't. She was just mad.

He still kept trying to talk to her after that. Getting to the finals two years in a row certainly boosted his self-esteem. The only thing missing was Lucy's approval, though, sometimes he wondered why he wanted it so bad. She wasn't the nicest person to him, but he admired her from the first time he saw her. She was his idol, someone he wanted to be like.

Well, when it came to playing video games at least. He could do without being mean to people.

He tried talking to her more after last year's competition, but most of his attempts at communication were met with silence. She never replied to the messages he sent her on Facebook, but at least she didn't outright block him. That had to be a good sign.

For a while Natsu wondered if he was being creepy by sending her so many messages without her responding. The only reason he kept going was because he saw she was reading them, even if she didn't say anything. She could have deleted them or blocked him, but the option to send her a message was still there.

He eventually stopped sending her messages though, deciding he would try to earn her friendship when he saw her in person next, which was now.

Natsu snorted as he closed his eyes, hoping he wasn't being a fool for trying to be Lucy's friend. His friends told him he should just let it go. If she didn't want anything to do with him, there was nothing he could do to change her mind. He thought they were giving up too easily.

After entering the tournament for the first time, Natsu learned her couldn't give up on himself, even when others already did.

With the girl gone and nothing else to do at the bar, Natsu stood, looking through the crowd to find Lucy. A frown etched its way onto his face when his search came up fruitless. _'Maybe she really didn't come?'_

Shrugging, Natsu started walking around the night club so he could get a better look. He had to dodge a few dancers and drunk people, one lady almost spilling her beer on him, but he managed to avoid it. He definitely didn't want to smell like a brewery when he ran into Lucy.

 _'If I run into her...'_ Natsu shook his head, casting away the pessimistic thought. He was an optimist by nature, so he had to stay positive.

After walking around the club twice, he finally spotted her familiar face. And damn, she looked good! Golden hair was pulled into two high ponytails, a black choker around her neck to match the black and red lace dress hugging the curves of her body. Natsu gulped, seeing the dress left little to the imagination.

Her long legs were covered in solid black tights, peeking out from her knee-high black boots. Natsu had seen her wearing those boots before at previous competitions. He didn't know why, but he loved when she wore them. There was something about it that made him feel like there was a fire in his belly.

Natsu grinned as he started heading straight for her, feet stumbling when he saw someone else approach her first. He recognized the guy as Hibiki, the captain of 'Blue Pegasus'. The man handed Lucy a frilly looking drink, her nodding when she accepted it.

He watched as they stood off to the side, the edge of the dance floor approximately ten feet away from them. He saw them talking to each other, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. His eye twitched as he slowly walked closer, taking a seat at a table a few feet away. Lucy was facing away from him, so he didn't worry about getting caught. However, his relief wasn't enough to outweigh the jealousy he felt seeing her talking with _that_ guy.

He didn't think it was fair! His team beat 'Blue Pegasus' earlier today! He thought Lucy wasn't interested in losers. That was the main reason he tried so hard to beat her. He wanted her validation. It was a crummy reason, but he was man enough to admit his faults. Why was she talking to Hibiki and not him?! He was the one who won last year!

He glanced at what Hibiki was wearing, his frown deepening when he saw he wasn't in anything remotely gothic at all. Natsu looked down at his nails, feeling a little stupid for painting them black now. He only dressed up to get Lucy's attention, but now he was thinking he should have just given up already. She obviously didn't want to be his friend, or have anything to do with him in general.

 _'Maybe my friends were right...'_

Despite being on the verge of giving up, Natsu couldn't stop himself from marching over to them when he saw Hibiki put his hand on Lucy's hand. By the time he reached them, she had already pulled her hand away, but it did nothing to calm the dull rage building inside him.

"Hey guys! What's up?" Natsu asked with a large, fake grin, his grip tightening around his beer bottle.

Lucy's already-small smile started faltering as she looked up at Natsu, her eyes narrowing just a bit as she asked, "What are you doing here?" Her eyes flitted up to his hair, then to his face, then to his clothing. "Actually, what are you _wearing_?" Her eyes settled on his black nails last, her eyes widening.

"I'm dressing gothic?" Natsu said, but it sounded more like a question. He curled his free hand into a fist, feeling his cheeks warming up. He hoped the dim lights would hide his blush of embarrassment.

Lucy snickered, an amused smile surfacing on her face. "You look emo!"

Natsu clenched his teeth as she giggled. For the first time, he hated hearing her laugh. Usually he didn't care what people thought of him, but now he was feeling low. He wanted to look cool for Lucy, but apparently his appearance had the opposite effect.

"Are those real piercings?" she asked, leaning in to get a better look at his eyebrow and lip ring.

"Yes," he mumbled, feeling like that was a bad idea too. He wanted to look awesome, but so far it was obvious she thought he looked like a joke. _'Will she ever stop laughing at me?'_

"Are you keeping them in?" Hibiki asked, reminding Natsu they weren't alone. Of course not! It would be too easy if she was making fun of him and no one else could hear it. Hibiki _had_ to be there to add onto his embarrassment!

He shook his head. "I'm taking them out tonight..."

"Waste of money," Lucy giggled, making his blood run hotter, but not in a good way.

Natsu shrugged, taking a half-step back as he muttered, "I still have some of the prize money from last year saved up. I'll be fine."

Lucy's laughing stopped, the light in her eyes dimming. "Oh?" She narrowed her eyes at him, but he couldn't figure out why she looked upset. She was the one making fun of him. If anything, he should be upset at her.

In an effort to change the subject, Natsu blurted out, "I heard you barely won your match against 'Mermaid Heel'."

He thought it was a good conversation starter, but he couldn't be more wrong. Before he got a chance to tell her she did a great job recovering, Lucy scowled at him, throwing back whatever was left of her drink before storming off, saying she needed another.

Natsu paled, eyes widening as he watched her leave. He didn't mean to insult her. _'Damn it! Why do I always say the wrong thing around her?!'_

Natsu went looking for Lucy, but he couldn't find her. It was as if the crowd swallowed her up, leaving no evidence behind. It took him twenty minutes of searching to finally find her again. He was ready to apologize for being mean, but stopped when he saw she was with Hibiki again.

 _'Damn it. Does she actually like him?'_

Natsu started walking up, taking a deep breath to summon the courage to face her. When he was within earshot, he opened his mouth to say he was sorry, only to have his words die in his throat when he heard what Hibiki said.

"My teammates are staying up late tonight. Do you want to come back to my room and," his eyes wandered over her body before he started reaching his hand near her, "play?"

Before he could touch her and before Lucy could answer, Natsu swooped in, grabbing Lucy by the waist before hoisting her over his shoulder. He shot Hibiki a dirty look before turning around, shouting, "Sorry man! Can't play with her tonight!"

Natsu didn't take two steps before Lucy started squirming in his grasp. "What the hell are you doing, Dragneel?!" she yelled, her hands pushing off his back to try to get down. "Let me go!"

Natsu ignored her as he made his way through the crowd, trying to get to the opposite side of the club so they were far away from Hibiki and his wandering hands. He had to counteract her weight a few times when she tried shifting off his shoulder, but he managed to keep her still for the most part.

"Hang on," Natsu shouted, unsure if she could hear him or not over the roaring music and bass.

"People can see up my skirt!" she yelled, causing his feet to stutter before he resumed his path.

Without thinking, Natsu lifted a hand, grabbing the hem of her lace skirt before pressing it against her upper thighs. His face burned a deep shade of red as she started to jerk more.

"That's not helping!"

Natsu would have responded, but he was already near where he wanted to take her anyway, which was towards the back of the club where it wasn't as loud. He set her down, ready to explain himself when she pushed at his chest, her face angrier than he'd ever seen her before.

"What'd you do that for?" Lucy asked, her tone furious.

Natsu looked down at her, confusion flooding him as he turned slightly to see where they had come from. "You can't possibly like that guy?" When he looked back at her, he saw her expression hadn't changed.

"And what if I did?"

Natsu's nose wrinkled as his eyes narrowed. "He was tryin' to sleep with you!" Even he could figure that out. It wasn't as if Hibiki was being subtle.

"So?"

Natsu sputtered, wondering what the hell was wrong with her. "You can't sleep with him!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," she shot back, her voice laced with sarcasm. "I didn't realize you were in charge of my body now!"

Shaking his head, Natsu said, "That's not what I mean and you know it!"

"Then what do you mean?" she asked, hands on her hips as she glared at him. "Huh? You don't see me dictating who you can and can't touch!"

"I'm not trying to touch anyone!" Natsu defended, but that only got Lucy riled up.

"Excuse me? Who the hell just carried me across the damn club?! Was it a fucking ghost?"

"No, but I-"

"And you're really one to talk, _Dragneel_ ," she spat, making his name sound like an insult. "You didn't have any problems with that chick hanging off you earlier!"

"What chick?" Natsu asked, a mixture of confusion and frustration swirling around inside him. "The girl who hugged me?" That was the only girl Natsu could think of. Usually he didn't touch people or let them touch him.

"It doesn't matter," Lucy muttered, grinding her teeth. "You don't have the right to mess with me or who I'm talking to."

"I was just trying to help!" Natsu yelled, angry that they couldn't have a normal conversation since the music was so loud. He didn't want to yell at her.

"Oh, you're _really_ helpful!" There was that sarcasm again. "I can hang out with whoever I want!"

"You still shouldn't sleep with that guy!"

Lucy glared at him. "And why the hell not?!"

In an angry blur, Natsu yelled the only thing that made sense to him. "You're too good for him!"

Lucy looked as if she was ready to fire off with something else, but she paused after Natsu admitted that. Even in the dim light, Natsu saw her cheeks turning red. However, her face didn't soften. "Who asked you?!"

She turned around and started walking. On instinct, Natsu started following her, only to have her whip around, pointing a finger at his chest as her barely-contained anger slipped into her voice. "Don't you dare follow me! And for your information, I wasn't going to sleep with him! You should have let me handle it instead of being a fucking jerk!"

Natsu felt a pang in his heart when she left again, this time without him chasing after her. She disappeared into another crowd, never stealing a glance back or slowing down.

Natsu dropped his head, staring at the floor as he tried to figure out why she was so upset. _'If she didn't want to sleep with that guy... then why is she so pissed at me?'_

He shook his head, recognizing where he went wrong. _'I took the decision away from her... I didn't give her a chance to say yes or no... Damn it. I really fucked up.'_

Natsu groaned as he lifted his head up, looking at the spot where he saw Lucy last. _'Not only that, but I grabbed her without permission. I'm no better than Hibiki. No, I'm worse. Lucy told me to put her down, but I didn't listen. Fuck, I am a fucking jerk.'_

He took a step towards the direction she went, but stopped. _'She told me not to follow her, but I need to apologize...'_ He clenched his teeth, not knowing what he was supposed to do. He could follow her and try to apologize, or leave her alone. But, if he left her alone, she wouldn't know he was sorry.

Natsu turned around, heading in the opposite direction from where Lucy went. While weaving through the crowd, he sent his friends a message saying he was going back to the hotel for the evening. He wasn't in a partying mood after what happened.

He didn't bother looking around for Lucy on his way out, realizing she needed her space. There was no way he was recovering from this one. She was truly mad at him, not just annoyed like usual.

Natsu felt the back of his eyes prick, but he ignored it as he walked out of the night club and into the fresh air. He knew deep in his heart Lucy wanted nothing to do with him a long time ago, but he kept trying to convince himself it was just a front she put up. She wasn't really like that on the inside.

After tonight, it was harder to believe his lie.

Natsu finally lifted his head up, watery eyes widening when he recognized the person walking in front of him. There was only one girl he saw tonight wearing that red and black dress with their hair pulled up in pony tails.

 _'Shit! She's gonna think I was following her anyways!'_

Without thinking, Natsu darted across the street, trying to put some distance between them. There was no way he could let her think he was trying to get near her. She might actually try to kick him or something. He shuddered at the thought.

After wiping at his eyes, Natsu started heading to the hotel. It was only a few blocks away. He figured that was why Lucy didn't bother with a cab. He preferred walking too. He knew he didn't want to get in a vehicle because of his motion sickness, even if his pills did a decent job at keeping him from puking.

Natsu walked at a slow pace, keeping enough space between him and Lucy so she wouldn't see him unless she really looked for him, but close enough so he could keep an eye on her. He didn't want to be creepy, but he also didn't like the idea of her walking by herself.

When he saw her enter the hotel safely, he sighed, waiting outside for a moment before heading in himself. He took the stairs, making sure there was enough time for her to get to her room without accidentally running into him in the process.

It was the least he could do after ruining her night.

By the time Natsu made it to his floor, five minutes had already passed. He tried to walk by, but his feet stopped moving once he made it to her room. He turned, facing the door that divided him from Lucy.

His hand curled into a fist before lifting, hovering by the door, ready to knock. He kept it there for almost a full minute before finally dropping his hand, knowing she didn't want to see his face again, even if it was to apologize.

Lucy made it clear, she didn't want anything to do with him. Maybe it was time for him to finally accept that and leave her alone.

"Sorry," he mumbled, turning away from her door before heading to his room, feeling stupid for trying to be friends with her all this time.

 _'Of course she'd never like me...'_ Natsu thought as he opened his room, walking into the darkness. It felt as empty as his chest. _'I'm still not on her level, and I never will be...'_

* * *

 **I promise I didn't intend on this having angst in it when I started, but I can't seem to keep it out of my stories. Poor Natsu just wants to be friends with his idol,** _ **and maybe a little more**_ **, but he can't seem to make a good impression.**

 **Next chapter will be Lucy's POV again. :)**

 **Up next, Chapter Three: Nostalgia**

 **Thank you for all the favorites, follows, and reviews! I appreciate every single one of them! Thank you so much for reading! I hope you're enjoying it so far. Let me know what you thought!**


	3. Nostalgia

**Chapter Three: Nostalgia (Day One)**

Lucy headed to the elevator with her friends. Before getting ready for their match against 'Raven Tail', they were going to take advantage of the free continental breakfast. Lucy didn't know if it would be an easy match or not, but she knew they were going to win.

 _When_ they won, they would be going against the team that won between 'Tartaros' and 'Grimoire Heart'. Honestly, Lucy wasn't looking forward to either of those matches. She had faced off against 'Grimoire Heart' before, and it wasn't easy. Her team had won, but it was still a struggle to beat them.

Lucy was asleep by the time her friends got back from the night club, but judging by their moods that morning, it was fair to say they didn't have hangovers. The slight bags under their eyes suggested they were tired, but Lucy hoped a good breakfast would wake them up.

When the elevator opened, the girls walked out to make their way to the room breakfast was being served. She prepared herself for when she saw Natsu, but it was for nothing. She blinked, looking around the room to find he wasn't there. She easily spotted his teammates at a table in the back, food thrown all around their table as they ate, but the pink haired Dragon Boy was nowhere in sight.

Lucy pushed down the bitter feeling that started rising in her chest. _'This is what I wanted,'_ she reminded herself as she huffed, grabbing a tray so she could fill it with food. She stuck with a banana, wheat toast, and a small bowl of cereal. She couldn't afford to get hyped up, so she stayed away from unnecessary sugars.

Lucy's team sat at a table next to 'The Dragons'. She wasn't surprised when her friends started talking to them. It wasn't her decision who they could and couldn't associate with. However, she was surprised when ten minutes went by and Natsu still hadn't arrived. She wanted to ask where he was, but she remained quiet.

 _'I don't care where he is,'_ she told herself, filling her mouth with cereal so she wouldn't be tempted to ask.

She was still mad at him for what he did last night. He had no right to carry her or make decisions for her. Of course she wasn't going to sleep with Hibiki. She only wanted a little attention after seeing Natsu hugging some random girl. It could have been any guy, Hibiki just happened to be the first she saw when she walked away after witnessing Natsu in the arms of someone else.

She would never admit it out loud, but the sight made her jealous. A small part of her thought maybe the reason Natsu wouldn't leave her alone was because he might have had a crush on her, but that thought flew out the window last night.

But then he confused her when he came up to talk to her and Hibiki, no other girl hanging around him. She was hoping he would stick around, even if she knew she shouldn't have been near him. That changed when he mentioned her almost-loss against 'Mermaid Heel'. After that, she didn't want to see his face. He was just rubbing it in, reminding her that she could have lost today.

She didn't know why she let him get under her skin like that. It was frustrating.

 _'It doesn't matter... He's nothing to me anyways... Just another opponent I have to beat.'_

Still, thinking about it pissed her off, especially since she spent a little extra time getting ready last night. Her chest started aching as she thought about pulling her hair up and painting her lips with her soft pink lipstick. She picked the dress out with Natsu in mind, remembering last year when he mentioned red and black were his favorite colors. If anyone would have asked, she would have said she was trying to get in _his_ head.

No one asked, but it was probably for the best. It was a lie anyway.

The real reason she chose it was because she was hoping to get another one of those compliments from him, even if she knew he was trying to mess with her. If he said she looked nice wearing a hoodie and jeans, she thought this would earn something greater.

Unfortunately for her, he said nothing about her outfit. _'You didn't give him a chance,'_ Lucy reminded herself as she sat her half-eaten banana down. She was no longer feeling hungry.

It was true. Last night, she went straight into insulting his appearance. It was juvenile, but once she got started, she couldn't stop. Then he had to go and mention last year's prize money again, reminding her that they were nothing more than enemies.

But, if he was just an enemy... _'Why was I sad when he hugged someone else?'_ She didn't realize she liked the attention he gave her until she saw someone else receive it. _'I hate this. Why can't I ever think straight when it comes to that annoying Dragon Boy. I shouldn't be thinking about him at all!'_

Lucy sighed, rubbing two fingers at her temple to concentrate. _'I'm being stupid,'_ she convinced herself, recognizing this behavior all too well. It was what she did last year, overthinking everything Natsu did until he psyched her out and she lost to him.

 _'Not again.'_

This year was going to be different. She wasn't going to let him get in her head, even if he already managed to do so thus far.

"Are you ready for your match today?" Levy asked the guys, bringing Lucy out of her thoughts. It was welcomed. She needed the break.

Lucy glanced over to the trio, who were busy scarfing down their third helpings. "Yup!" Gajeel said with food in his mouth, causing Levy to sigh. "'The Spriggans' ain't got nothing on us!"

While Levy chastised him on his grammar and manners, Lucy thought about 'The Spriggans'. They were a new team, but from what she heard, they were good. She was glad she wasn't facing off against them. Her match with 'Raven Tail' would be easier than that.

A twinge of pain struck her heart when she thought of Natsu's team being defeated today. If that happened, they'd be out of the game for good. Shaking her head, Lucy cast that thought aside, convincing herself the only reason she was upset was because she wouldn't be the one to crush Natsu. She needed revenge for last year, and for all the snide comments he made about his victory.

"Best of luck!" Juvia shouted, quickly shrinking down as she put a hand over her mouth. She mumbled an apology for being too loud and attracting attention to them.

"Don't sweat it," Gray said, giving her a smile that seemed to melt her insides. It surprised Lucy, considering she thought he had a somewhat cold personality, though she really shouldn't say anything.

She might have been told a few too many times that she could come off as rude, but she didn't let that get to her. She was just determined and willing to do whatever it took to achieve her goals. How was that rude?

"Good luck against 'Raven Tail', not that you'll need it." Jellal was the only one with decent manners, actually swallowing his food before he opened his mouth to speak.

"Thank you," Erza said, a confident smile on her face. "I'm hoping they don't play dirty like I suspect they did last year."

"I heard they got their opponents' seats wet last year, but the judges couldn't prove anything," Gray mumbled between bites of his food. "Glad we're not goin' up against them."

"We'll be sure to check for anything like that before we begin," Levy assured. "But if they were really trying to cheat, they should have switched the controls in the system instead of getting seats wet. Sure, it's uncomfortable, but after a while I'm sure you'd get used to it."

Gajeel chuckled, reaching over to pat Levy on the head, causing her to puff out her cheeks as her eyes narrowed. "Good thinkin'. Just don't talk too loud. Two of their members are right over there."

A few of them looked over to see a girl with long, red hair eating beside a short, heavy-set man. Lucy looked away, not wanting to get caught staring. It didn't matter to her if they heard them or not. The match was in about an hour, meaning they didn't have a lot of time to try and sabotage the game.

Besides, even if they tried, Lucy was sure her team would still win. Some silly wet seats wouldn't stop them.

When everyone finished eating, they threw away their trash and headed to the lobby where the elevators were. Her teammates climbed in, as well as the other Dragon Boys. They were all headed to the same floor so it made sense to ride together.

Just as the elevator doors started to close, Lucy caught a glimpse of pink hair. Before she could utter a single word, Gray yelled, "Yo! Natsu!"

He started turning, green eyes locking with Gray's before shifting over, meeting Lucy's gaze. As quickly as he saw her, he turned away, never saying anything as he kept walking.

The doors closed right after that, the Dragon Boys whispering to each other about why Natsu was late for breakfast. From what Lucy gathered, when they woke up that morning, he was gone, none of them knowing where he was.

"I'll text him and let him know he needs to hurry. Our match starts in ninety minutes," Jellal said, pulling out his phone.

Lucy zoned them out after that, not wanting to hear more. _'It's for the best,'_ she thought as she watched the numbers increase on the wall, matching the level of floors they were passing.

When they reached their floor, the girls headed to their room to get ready for the day. Seeing as it was the second day, there were sure to be more people watching their matches. Only eight teams remained.

'The Dragons' vs. 'The Spriggans', 'Thunder Legion' vs. 'Sabertooth', 'Tartaros' vs. 'Grimoire Heart', and 'Raven Tail' vs. 'The Fairies'.

This afternoon there would only be four teams remaining. By night, only two.

Tomorrow afternoon was when the last two matches of the tournament would be held. One would be to see who got third place, the other to see who got first and second. Lucy knew her team was going to take one of the final spots. They just had to get through today first.

While Levy went to take a shower and the other girls got changed, Lucy went to the desk to straighten her hair. It took her about fifteen minutes, but she finally got her hair to stop frizzing. As she unplugged the appliance, she heard a beeping sound behind her.

Lucy turned, looking at the bed to see Levy's phone sitting on it, the screen lighting up. She grabbed it, heading to the bathroom to tell Levy she got a text since she heard the water cut off a few minutes ago, but her body froze when she read who the message was from.

 _ **Gajeel: Tonight you should meet me at that spot again so we can-**_

That was all Lucy could read, the message cut off since the phone was locked. With a flushed face, Lucy knocked on the bathroom door, her eye twitching as she waited for Levy to hurry up.

"Calm down," Levy said as she opened the door, stepping aside. "I didn't take that long, Lu."

Lucy ignored that, instead raising her hand to show Levy the device. "You two exchanged numbers? When?!"

Levy blinked, gaze drifting from her friend's face to her phone, a small blush of her own coating her cheeks. "L-last night?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes, causing Levy to squeak. "Okay! It was last year! Sheesh!"

Levy grabbed her phone, ducking under Lucy's arm to make her way to the other side of the room. She saw Lucy coming after her, so she did the only thing she thought she could do.

She threw her friend under the bus.

"Erza's been emailing Jellal!"

"What?!" Lucy's head snapped over to the redhead, who was busy pulling her hair into a ponytail. "Why?"

Erza, who was good at keeping her composure, shrugged. "We have a lot in common."

Lucy glanced over to Juvia, waiting to see if the girl would say something about Gray. The answer made her cringe.

"Juvia went to visit Gray last winter."

"Y-You went to Magnolia?!" Lucy asked, trying to think back to last winter. She remembered Juvia was missing for a weekend, but the girl had said she was visiting her parents. _'That liar!'_

Juvia nodded. "It's very lovely there."

Lucy gnashed her teeth together, thinking that didn't make her feel better. She thought they only talked to the Dragon Boys during tournaments. It turned out they'd been keeping secrets this whole time!

"Am I the only one not fraternizing with the enemy?!"

All her friends shared a look before turning their heads her way again. "We all know you think Natsu's hot," Levy said, causing Lucy to involuntarily sputter.

"I-I do not!" she shouted, but even she knew the crack in her voice betrayed her.

"There's no reason for Lucy to feel ashamed," Juvia assured, but it didn't help. Lucy did feel ashamed.

"We're all your friends Lucy," Erza said, gaining the girl's attention. "No one's going to think any less of you if you like Natsu."

"I never said I liked him!" Lucy rushed out, feeling her heart rate double. She took a step back, feeling their eyes digging into her skin. "And so what if I think he's kind of attractive. That doesn't mean he's any less of a jerk!"

The girls frowned. Levy took a step closer to Lucy, concern etched on her face. "We never said he was a jerk. Why are you getting so defensive? Did something happ-"

"I gotta go!" Lucy shouted, cutting her off. She quickly made her way out of the room, saying she would meet them in the lobby when they were ready. She couldn't be in that room for another second. She wasn't ready to face the truth, which was that a part of her harbored a small crush for the Dragon Boy, even if he annoyed the hell out of her.

She would go on denying it for as long as she lived if she had to. Anything was better than facing that truth.

* * *

Lucy scowled as she stormed out of the room. Her team had just gone up against 'Raven Tail'. Despite winning and moving on to the next round, Lucy was pissed. She didn't know who, but _someone_ from 'Raven Tail' sabotaged her controls. She just wished she could prove it.

Every button she tried to press kept sticking, making it so she could barely move around, let alone shoot her enemies. Luckily for her, she had a great team that had her back, carrying the team until she could get technical support to switch out her hardware.

"It's okay, Lu," Levy said, patting Lucy on the back. "It's over now and we won. You shouldn't let that bother you."

Lucy barely resisted the urge to shrug Levy's hand off her back. She sighed, trying but failing to release her anger. That little stunt 'Raven Tail' pulled could have cost them the championship. _'But it didn't,'_ she reminded herself, taking a deep breath.

"We should get something to eat before resting," Erza suggested, leading their group towards the cafe.

Lucy followed them, but as she passed by the billboard in the lobby, a thought popped into her head. "I need to use the bathroom. I'll see you there."

"But there's a bathroom in the-" Juvia started, but stopped when she saw Lucy was already walking away.

"Should we go after her?" Levy asked, Erza shaking her head in response.

"She needs some time to cool down. I'm sure she'll be fine."

"Okay..." Levy said, turning around to follow the girls to the cafe, leaving their captain by herself.

* * *

Lucy wasn't alone for long. She headed down the hall where all the competitors were, tracking down the room she wanted. It didn't take long seeing as there were only three other rooms where teams were competing in.

She slipped through the door, making her way into the room to find a seat at the back.

Once she was settled, her eyes flitted from screen to screen, stopping when she saw the one with his name. She didn't bother making excuses for herself. It had nothing to do with wanting to study her rivals. She just wanted to watch Natsu play.

The screen dedicated to Natsu was stuck on his game play at the moment, so she looked up at the score, frowning when she saw they were in the third round and 'The Spriggans' had already won the first two matches. If they won one more, Natsu and his team would be out.

Lucy bit her bottom lip, hoping they could turn this around. There was no one else she would rather face off in the finals with than 'The Dragons'. She had to go against them again. Not only were they the best worthy opponent, she also wanted to show how much better she got over the past year.

When his screen switched to his webcam, Lucy's eyes automatically darted to his face. His brows were furrowed as his lips moved. She didn't know if he was giving commands, talking to his teammates, or mumbling to himself. She noticed he had taken out the eyebrow piercing, but the lip ring remained.

His sharp green eyes flitted left and right around the screen, a fire burning behind them. Lucy wondered if that was how she looked like while playing. The webcams was something she wasn't a big fan of, but now she was thankful for them. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to see his face.

 _'Why is he so handsome,'_ Lucy wondered, frowning when his screen changed to his game again. She didn't know why Natsu was able to get into her head like he had. Even when they weren't competing, she thought about him.

She was admittedly still upset about what happened last night, but she was also upset at herself. A part of her _liked_ being carried by Natsu. She had felt just how warm he was while his arms were wrapped around her.

Ever since he let her go, she felt cold.

That wasn't an excuse to pick her up though. She wouldn't allow him to disrespect her like that. If he apologized, well that might make her feel better, but so far he had said nothing about it.

 _'How could he?'_ she asked herself. _'You told him not to follow you.'_ That was the only reason she hadn't flipped out on him more. If he had followed her, she would have been done with him. She just needed time to calm down, which she did after being by herself for a while.

She wished she would have stayed at the club later, but that wasn't how things went down. There would always be more nights for parties later. She might even ask her friends if they wanted to go back tonight since it wasn't a themed night. She didn't get a chance to dance in her boots last night, but honestly, she was thankful for that. Her feet would have been swollen if she did.

Lucy swallowed thickly when she saw the final seconds of the third match. Natsu's team was ahead. If they could only keep their points above 'The Spriggans' for seven more seconds.

Lucy's throat tightened when she saw 'The Spriggans' score another point, but she sighed in relief when 'The Dragons' scored two more points, putting them back in the lead before the timer ran out. Now the score was two to one, with 'The Spriggans' winning.

With any luck, there would be two more matches, otherwise 'The Dragons' wouldn't make it. She watched with bated breath as the match went on, 'The Dragons' giving their opponent a run for their money. It seemed like they were giving it their all, beating the match much faster than the one before.

The last game was 'Search and Destroy'. Lucy hoped they were ready for it.

She gulped when the game began, hearing the sound of gun fire around her due to the surround sound systems, but it all felt silent to her when she looked at Natsu. He might have been her enemy, but time seemed to stand still and her heart leaped every time she saw his face.

She couldn't get him out of her head.

Her mind went back to the messages he sent her on Facebook. They were all so casual, as if they'd been friends for years. He would tell her about Magnolia, how his classes were going, and how he thought she might like the picture of a frog he sent her. They were always random, but she found herself hoping each day she would get another one. He sent her one every week for two months straight.

After a month went by and she stopped receiving messages, she realized he had given up. That was when she thought about replying, but she couldn't go through with it. She didn't want to appear weak.

Truthfully, Natsu wasn't the only guy who sent her messages on Facebook, but the other ones got blocked because they were too creepy or weird. Some guys even sent her hate because she was a girl who played competitively. She didn't have time for immature boys like that.

The only reason she didn't block Natsu was because he hadn't done anything to make her uncomfortable. If anything, his little messages put a smile on her face.

She had a file on her phone filled with the pictures Natsu sent her. Her favorite was one of a cherry blossom tree in Magnolia park. It was beautiful, a large rainbow shining over the magnificent tree. She didn't know if he took it himself or if he found it somewhere, but it left her speechless. She had it saved as her phone's background, but when people asked about it, she lied and said she found it on Google.

She didn't want anyone knowing how much those silly messages meant to her.

Lucy didn't know if he did it on purpose or not, but the picture he sent reminded her of last year's tournament. Her teammates and his teammates were hanging out in town after the second day. They already knew they were all going to compete against each other, but no one was talking about it.

Lucy said she didn't want to go out, but she didn't put up much of a fight. They all met in the gardens in Crocus. It was the flower capital after all. Lucy took pictures of so many flowers, but by the time they got to the cherry blossom trees, it was too dark to take a decent picture.

She casually mentioned to Levy that she was upset, but thought nothing more of it. A few weeks after the tournament ended, Natsu sent his first message. A month after that, he sent the picture of the tree. The memory had almost faded in her mind until she saw the cherry blossom in Magnolia park, reminding her how much she loved those beautiful trees.

She convinced herself it was a dumb coincidence, that Natsu wasn't a thoughtful guy, but part of her hoped he had meant to send it. Every time she saw it, it made her heart flutter.

Lucy was embarrassed to admit she also looked through his profile a few times when she was feeling curious. She found out he liked to box, surf, and rock climb. She remembered nearly getting a nose bleed the first time she saw a picture of him shirtless. It had to be illegal to have a body like his, but she didn't dare say that out loud.

His ego seemed big enough to her.

Lucy blinked a few times, removing herself from her thoughts so she could watch the game. The match was almost over. _'How much did I miss?'_ She paled when she saw the main screen, one of the members of 'The Spriggans' making their way to a bomb site.

Before they had a chance to detonate, Gajeel's character swooped in, taking them out. Lucy held her breath as she watched the rest of the match unfold. Gray killed two enemies while Jellal and Natsu both shot at the last opponent left.

Lucy almost couldn't believe it when 'The Dragons' won the last match, putting them in the lead three to two.

Lucy found herself letting out a loud cheer along with everyone else, caught up in the moment. Her short burst of mirth ended as soon as the lights started to come on, reminding her that the teams would soon be making their way out of their seats.

Weaving through the crowd, Lucy made sure to get out of the room as quickly as she could so Natsu wouldn't see her. Just as she passed through the doors, she ran into a soft surface.

Jolting back, Lucy realized she ran straight into Juvia's chest. "I'm so sorry!" she shouted, covering her mouth as a blush stained her cheeks. "I didn't see you there!"

Instead of saying anything about the incident, Juvia's eyes looked past Lucy to peer into the room before returning to her friend. "Juvia was just coming by to see if Gray won. She didn't expect to see you here."

Lucy opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Grabbing Juvia's wrist, she pulled the girl away from the door and down the hall, loudly whispering that she wasn't to utter a single word about what she just saw.

"I was just getting information on the enemy! You never saw me there!"

Juvia giggled as she allowed herself to be dragged along. "Sure, sure."

* * *

After grabbing a quick bite to eat with her friends, Lucy headed out of the hotel. She said she wanted to take a walk to clear her head, thankful when her friends bought her excuse.

She did technically walk... to the arcade bar.

Feeling nervous and a little frazzled, Lucy did the only thing she knew would help. She played Pac-Man.

It seemed silly, but the nostalgia she felt while playing older games always made her feel happy. After a few rounds, she was already feeling better. She switched to a few different games after that. She especially loved playing the Donkey Kong game where Mario had to rescue the princess and jump over the barrels. It was one of her favorites growing up, so she was thrilled to be playing it now.

Lucy drifted over to the bar to order a fruity drink. She made sure it was non-alcoholic, knowing she had another game in a few hours. She found out earlier she would be playing against 'Tartaros', and she was not looking forward to it. She heard from Erza, that heard from someone else that they took down their last opponents, 'Grimoire Hearts' without losing a single match.

Needless to say, Lucy was feeling anxious for what was to come.

She licked at the pop rocks at the top of her drink before making her way to the back of the arcade. She wanted to play another round of Donkey Kong before switching over to Pac-Man again.

The arcade had a few people in it, but they were all playing by the skee-ball machines, giving her some peace and quiet. Well, the sounds of the various arcade machines could be heard, but it was a comforting sound. Lucy loved playing video games when she was a kid. It was something she never grew out of.

Lucy was on the third level of the Donkey Kong game when she heard a quarter slide into a slot of few machines away. On reflex, Lucy glanced that way to see what the noise came from. Her eyes widened when she saw a familiar face staring at the machine in front of him.

Most of the dye in his pink hair came out, but she could still see the tips were a faint black. He looked better in his normal clothing. She felt as if time stood still while she stared at him, not realizing Mario was being hit by a barrel on fire. She only snapped out of her trance when she heard her 'life' in the game end, unfortunately catching more than just her attention in the process.

Natsu looked over, catching her gaze. He quickly looked away from her, mumbling just loud enough so she could hear him. "I promise, I'm not gonna bother you." He sounded defeated, no spark left in his green eyes. "This is the only Pac-Man machine in this place. Just ignore me."

Lucy's heart dropped when he said nothing else to her, going on about his game as if she wasn't there. She didn't mean to make him sad. Sure, she was mad at him for carrying her, but she didn't want him to stop talking to her all together. She just need time to cool down.

Swallowing thickly, Lucy returned to her game, playing until she lost her last life and had to quit. She paused, knowing what she wanted to do but too scared to carry out her plan. Not only did she not want to appear weak, she was nervous. It took her a few pep talks before she was able to walk away from the Donkey Kong game and make her way to the machine next to Natsu.

He didn't so much as flinch when she inserted her quarters, truly giving her space. She turned to her game, realizing it was Dig Dug. She didn't know what she was going to be playing, she just knew she wanted to be near Natsu before she worked up the courage to say something to him.

Unfortunately for her, she came up blank.

Lucy played her game, blowing up creatures who got in her way as she cleared each level. She kept stealing glances over at Natsu, but he didn't tear his eyes away from his screen unless he had to put another quarter in, but even then, he kept his eyes away from her.

Lucy thought this was childish, but she knew she had driven him this far. How much was he honestly supposed to take before he gave up? For some reason, Lucy thought he was going to keep 'pestering' her until she eventually broke.

It turned out Natsu wasn't as willing to go along with that plan as she was.

She nearly cursed at herself when Natsu left the Pac-Man machine, heading to the bar to get a drink of his own. For a second, she thought he was going to leave the arcade, but he stayed. She wasn't surprised when he came back with a soda, but she was surprised when he went back to the Pac-Man machine without so much as a glance her way.

Biting her bottom lip, Lucy turned her body to face him. She waited a moment, taking a deep breath before she was able to finally say what was on her mind.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

 **Up next, Chapter Four: Flaws**

 **We're already halfway through this story! How crazy is that?!**

 **You got more of Lucy's thoughts and feelings this chapter. Next chapter's going to be longer since they have some things they have to talk about. I hope you're liking this story so far. Thank you for reading and supporting it! Please let me know what you thought! Next chapter will be in Natsu's POV again. :)**

 **Thank you Chikachoo and ColeyMari for helping me with part of this chapter! I appreciate the help! :D**


	4. Flaws

**Chapter Four: Flaws (Day Three)**

To say Natsu was having a bad day would be a fair statement. He woke up irritable, pissed at himself for the mess he made last night. He didn't bother waking his friends up, instead heading to the small fitness room in the hotel to jog on the treadmill. Exercise and video games always calmed him down, but that arcade bar wouldn't open until later.

He stopped himself before he overexerted himself, not wanting to be sore and tired before his match against 'The Spriggans' later in the morning. Even if they weren't rumored to be a great team, he wouldn't want to risk it.

When he arrived in his room, he saw his friends weren't there. He figured they already went to breakfast, so he hopped in the shower, washed up, then headed downstairs after changing. On his way down the stairs, he cursed himself. The ends of his hair were faded black from the dye. _'So much for washing out after one use,'_ he thought to himself. He had taken a shower last night and this morning. He thought it would have come out by now.

His tongue kept running over the silver ring in his lip. He took the eyebrow piercing out last night. It stung to remove, but he thought it was worth it. He decided to keep the lip ring in, liking the way it felt and looked. He could always take it out if he changed his mind later.

Opening the door to the lobby, Natsu started heading towards the room where breakfast was still being served, ready to go hang out with his teammates before their first match. He was feeling a little better, but a lot of it had to do with not thinking about a certain blonde girl.

It was weird, seeing as she was always on his mind. He was doing good to avoid the thought, but that all changed when he heard someone yelling his name. He turned, eyes searching until he saw the opened elevator. Gray was standing towards the front of it, looking right back at him.

He was about to open his mouth and say something, but someone on Gray's left moved, drawing Natsu's focus there. He locked eyes with the very girl he was trying not to think about, mentally cursing himself when he saw that frown on her lips.

He hated when she frowned. She was so much prettier when she was smiling and happy.

Not wanting to go down that road again, Natsu tore his gaze away from Lucy, his resolve steeling as he walked away from them. By the time he looked back, the elevator doors were already closed.

"Good," he mumbled, keeping his head down as he walked. _'Maybe if she doesn't see me, she'll start smiling again.'_

* * *

Natsu felt beads of sweat collect on the back of his neck. Despite the room being air conditioned, he felt too hot. 'The Spriggans' were kicking their ass. They lost the first two games, lessening their chance to win. However, he wasn't going down without a fight.

He leaned back in his chair and sighed when they won the third game, putting them at two to one. They would have to do better than their bests to take this team down. Every single one of them were good competitors, but Natsu couldn't afford to lose. If he wanted Lucy's-

Natsu's eyes fell down to his hands, swallowing thickly when he remembered Lucy's cold voice from last night.

 _"You should have let me handle it instead of being a fucking jerk!"_

His heart clenched, eyes slamming shut as he tried to focus. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about Lucy. _'She doesn't want anything to do with me. It doesn't matter if I win or lose. Nothing's changing her mind.'_

Natsu's eyes snapped open when he heard the countdown begin. The fourth match was starting. If this went wrong, they would be out of the tournament. If it went well... Then they would get one more game to try to beat 'The Spriggans'.

Once the countdown ended and the game began, Natsu sprinted. Driven by the need to win, he played harder than he had since this tournament began. He shouted out commands to his team, not the least bit surprised when they executed his orders.

He was no longer trying to win to get Lucy's attention. He wanted to win for himself and his team.

The fourth match ended quickly, 'The Dragons' taking the point to tie them with 'The Spriggans'. When the fifth match began, Natsu was more than ready. It was 'Search and Destroy', the game his team was great at.

Each mini match inside of 'Search and Destroy' flew by. They had to get four wins to actually get a point for their team, so they couldn't afford any mistakes. Each match within that game sped by until they were on the sixth round, Natsu's team with three points and 'The Spriggans' with two. Before he knew it, Jellal and him were shooting at the last enemy, earning them the victory they needed to win!

Natsu ripped his headset off, finally hearing the cheering crowd from behind the faux wall they had dividing them from everyone else. They needed their privacy and peace while playing so they wouldn't get distracted.

After feeling Gajeel ruffle his hair, Natsu looked up, blinking when he realized it was time for them to leave. His body felt a little numb as he sat up, a part of him surprised that they pulled it off. When they lost the first two games, he honestly thought they might not make it, but he was glad to be proven wrong.

Natsu was thankful he had such amazing teammates and friends. He truly couldn't ask for more.

Once Natsu stepped out from behind the wall, his eyes fell on the doorway. His brows furrowed when he saw people weren't exiting, instead crowding around the entrance. He looked out of the room, seeing a blonde girl standing in front of the doorway, blocking everyone's path.

Green eyes widened when he saw the person in front of the girl was a member of 'The Fairies', Juvia. Natsu's eyes flitted back to the blonde, his brain making the connection instantly.

 _'Is that Lucy?'_

Before he could confirm, the two girls were rushing off, allowing others to leave the room. Natsu had to wait until everyone else left before his team was able to leave, but by the time they made it out into the hall, the girls were gone.

 _'It had to be her... Who else would it be?'_

He frowned, remembering he wasn't supposed to care. It seemed impossible though. He had wanted to be closer to Lucy for years now. He didn't think he could get over it after one night.

 _'I have to try,'_ he reminded himself as he followed his friends down the hall. He had to try, not for his sake, but for hers. It was time he left her alone for good, even if he wished she would just give him a chance.

He couldn't force someone to be his friend.

* * *

"I'll see you guys in a bit," Natsu said as he grabbed his scarf, wrapping it around his neck twice before heading to the door to their room.

"Where are you going?" Gray asked, sitting up from the bed. His laptop was laying on his stomach, the sound of whatever anime he was watching playing until he hit pause.

"Think I'm gonna go to that arcade."

"Want some company?" Jellal asked from the desk. He had some of his homework out. Despite them agreeing to take the weekend off for the tournament, Jellal couldn't seem to put his books down for good.

"I'll be fine," Natsu muttered, wanting some alone time. "If you wanna come I'm not gonna stop ya though."

That was enough to get Jellal to back off, saying he needed to finish his assignment anyway. "Be back at least thirty minutes before our next match."

"No problem," Natsu said, slipping out of their room before heading down the hall to the stairs. He had a couple of hours before he had to be back, giving him plenty of time to play one of his favorite games. He saw it at the arcade bar yesterday, but he was too busy trying to talk to Lucy that he didn't get a chance to play it.

Natsu shook his head, telling himself he needed to stop thinking about her. It was easier said than done, especially when he walked into the arcade bar.

He headed straight for the Pac-Man game, his feet freezing in place when he spotted Lucy a few machines away. _'Fuck!'_ He didn't know what to do. He could leave and she would never know he was there, but he really wanted to play that game.

Scratching at his head, Natsu sighed, realizing he was being stupid. The arcade was big enough for the two of them. If he kept quiet, she probably wouldn't even notice he was there.

He was wrong.

As soon as his quarter slipped into the machine, she looked over at him. He tried not to look at her, but his resolve broke when he heard her die in her game. He glanced at her, his stomach twisting when he saw her surprised expression. Just once he wished she would smile when she looked at him. Was it too much to ask for?

"I promise, I'm not gonna bother you," he mumbled, hoping he sounded normal. "This is the only Pac-Man machine in this place. Just ignore me." He looked back at his game, watching as the start screen loaded.

Lucy said nothing as he started playing. Deep down he wished she would say something, _anything_ , but that didn't happen. So, he played his game in peace, slowly forgetting she was even there the more he got into it.

After a few rounds, he got thirsty. He ordered a soda from the bar before heading back to his game, thankful no one had taken his spot. There were a few people around, but they were preoccupied with other games.

Natsu started playing again, moving his joystick around to eat all the pellets before the ghosts could get them. He was doing well, his focus solely on his game when he heard Lucy's voice directed at him. He jolted, so surprised he accidentally got hit by a ghost because he didn't turn in time.

"Damn it," he mumbled as he died. He turned away from his game, eyes narrowing as he looked over at her, his tone more harsh than he meant it to be. "What?"

Lucy was biting her bottom lip, not meeting his gaze as she whispered, "I said... I'm sorry."

Natsu blinked, unsure if he heard her correctly. "You're sorry?" That couldn't have been what she said. He couldn't believe it.

She sighed, finally releasing her reddened lip. "I've been really shitty to you, and you didn't deserve it..." Her eyes flashed to his, but they dropped a moment later. "I guess I let this whole rival thing get to my head..."

Natsu opened his mouth to speak, frustrated with himself when he couldn't get the words out. He struggled to say anything, but it was useless. He just stood there, waiting for her to break the silence.

Lucy grabbed whatever drink she had with her before turning away. "I understand if you don't want to accept my apology. I can't blame you."

As she took a step away, Natsu reached his hand out, stopping himself at the last possible second before he could grab her. He didn't want to make the mistake of touching her and upsetting her again. "Wait!"

Lucy glanced over her shoulder, her brown eyes dull while her lips were pressed into a thin line. He didn't like seeing her like that. He wanted her to smile, even if it wasn't at him. "What is it?"

"I-I accept!"

She furrowed her brows, her tone incredulous. "You do?"

He couldn't nod fast enough. "Lucy... I... I'm sorry!"

She blinked as she shook her head. "No, _I'm_ sorry. What would you be sorry for?"

Natsu cupped the back of his neck, finding it hard to keep Lucy's gaze. "Last night."

"Oh."

"... Yeah." He gulped, feeling her brown eyes burning into him. After last night, he didn't think he would be talking to her again. "I didn't mean to make you mad... I shouldn't have grabbed you like that... and I shouldn't have gotten in your way. That was my bad."

Lucy opened her mouth, but she quickly shut it a second later, her eyes closing as she took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, she mumbled, "Sorry. I was about to make another rude comment."

Natsu's shoulders fell. He appreciated honesty, but that hurt. "Oh yeah?" He meant to sound teasing, but it came out flat and pathetic. "Well, I'm still sorry. I was being insensitive to you. It's not my place to say who you can and can't sleep with." By the time he finished his sentence, he was looking away from her, a soft blush spreading over his cheeks and neck.

He didn't think she was going to say what she said next, and truthfully, she didn't have to explain herself, but he was thankful she did anyway.

"I really wasn't going to sleep with that guy."

Natsu's eyes flitted to her face, seeing her cheeks painted red too. "You weren't?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I was... _upset_ about something. I was just..." Her eyes darted to the ceiling as she sighed. "Dang, this is going to sound worse out loud than in my head."

"What does?" Natsu asked, hoping she would answer.

"I..." She looked at him, her hands balling into fists, gripping on the hem of her shirt. "I was just using him to make me feel better... I liked the attention."

Her answer didn't make him feel better. "Oh..." His throat felt dry as he admitted, "I would've given you attention..."

Lucy's lips tugged into a frown as she turned away from him, leaning back so she was resting her weight on the machine. "You seemed... _busy_."

Natsu's brows pinched together as he cocked his head. "I spent most of my time loo-" He cut himself off, not wanting to sound desperate and tell her he was looking for her. "I was walking around most of the time. I wasn't busy."

Lucy mumbled something, but he couldn't hear her over the sound of the arcade games around them.

"What?" He leaned in closer, making sure to keep a decent size gap between them in case she got uncomfortable.

"I said..." She closed her eyes as she muttered the rest. "You seemed busy hugging that girl."

"How much did you see?" Natsu asked, his confusion slipping into his tone. "That hug was really short."

Lucy wouldn't meet his gaze, instead staring at the floor. "Well, I didn't try to stay for a show. I saw enough." After a moment, she asked, "Who is she, anyways?"

He shook his head. "I dunno. Just some girl who wanted my autograph. You can't tell me people haven't asked for your autograph." He knew she had signed peoples' booklets before. He had her signature to prove it.

"They have," she whispered, her head tilting towards him, but her eyes stayed down. "So... That was it? Just an autograph?"

Natsu shrugged, stealing a glance at his game to see he had already ran out of all his lives. He forgot about it, leaving Pac-Man defenseless against those ghosts. "She asked for that and a hug. I didn't see the harm..." She was polite and respectful, even asking before she hugged him.

Lucy surprised him by groaning, a hand coming up to press over her eyes. "I'm so stupid."

Natsu frowned, taking a half-step closer to her. "Don't say that. You're smart."

She huffed. "You're just saying that. I really am stupid."

He wanted to tell her he heard about her amazing grades when Juvia came to visit Gray a while back, but he didn't want to get Juvia in trouble. From the way she made it sound, it was a secret that had to be kept from Lucy.

"I don't think you are."

Lucy shook her head. "I'm getting j-" Her lips pressed into a tight line, almost as if she was afraid to finish her sentence. He saw her bite her bottom lip before saying, "I'm getting jealous over a... a _fangirl_."

Natsu couldn't help but snort. "A fangirl? Is that what you call them?"

She finally looked at him, her blush now spreading until it crept under her shirt. "Well, yeah. What else would you call people who try to get autographs like that?"

He chuckled, the feeling being a relief after the stressful day he had. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't nearly over yet. He still had to face off against 'Sabertooth', who had taken down 'Thunder Legion' not too long ago.

"Guess that makes me a fanboy then?"

"What?" Lucy asked, raising a brow.

Natsu swallowed thickly, tugging at his scarf to give himself some room to breathe. He swore the thing was choking him, or maybe it was his nerves getting the best of him. He never thought he was going to admit it, but he felt like it was time to tell her the truth.

"Lucy..." he started, feeling his throat get tighter. "I just want to be your friend... I've been trying to do that since day one."

"You have?" Lucy asked, her eyes narrowing just a bit.

Natsu nodded. "I was here when you competed for the first time." A small smile graced his lips. "You were awesome. Everyone thought a newbie team full of girls couldn't win, but you showed 'em by taking third place. That was amazing!"

He paused, biting at his inner cheek as he debated if he should tell her more or not. "I... I was actually in the crowds cheering you on. I-I admired you."

He heard her sharp inhale, but he didn't look at her, too afraid to meet her gaze as he confessed. "I wanted to be like you, so... I convinced my friends to start playing with me so we could compete the next year."

"That's when you came in second," Lucy said, her voice softer than before.

He nodded. "I... I thought you'd want to talk to me since our team did really good... I told you 'great game', but after you just kinda stared at me, I panicked and said 'we almost had ya'..."

Lucy sighed. "I remember that. Honestly, I was a little rattled after that game. You did almost beat us, and it scared me."

Natsu's smile faded. "If we really did almost beat you, then why'd you say we never stood a chance?"

She scoffed, giving him a pointed look. "If you haven't noticed, I can be a little standoffish."

"Can't argue with that," he mumbled, earning a huff from her. "Anyways, I thought that meant I just had to train harder to get you to notice me... I honestly thought if I beat you then you'd _want_ to talk to me."

He trained hard that year to get as good as her, but in the end, he still didn't think he was good enough. "We won last year, but I'm pretty sure it was just dumb luck, but I was still happy."

His smile came back, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I remember walking up to you and trying to shake your hand. I said-"

"Good game," Lucy whispered, her eyes unfocused as she stared at the ground. "But I was so mad that I lost, I said-"

"Whatever," Natsu finished, cutting her off. He saw her flinch, but it wasn't enough to keep him silent. He didn't want her to think less of him, but he wanted her to know how he felt. "Not gonna lie, it really hurt. I mean, I tried so hard to be on your level."

He swallowed, feeling a lump form in his throat. "But you shot me down without giving me a chance... I thought maybe it was just that day, but then you wouldn't talk to me when I tried messaging you. I don't know if you ever got them. It said you read them, but you never responded..."

"I got them," she mumbled, trying to meet his gaze but failing. Her eyes flitted to his scarf before drifting back down to the floor.

"I read them all..."

Natsu didn't know if that made him feel better or worse. She got them, read them, then chose not to reply to him. "Guess I shouldn't be upset," he whispered, feeling his chest tighten. "You never made any promises saying you wanted to talk... I..." His frown deepened. "I just thought maybe if you heard me out, you'd consider being my friend. Guess it was dumb."

Lucy shook her head. "It's not dumb. Honestly, I... I thought you were trying to mess with me."

Natsu furrowed his brows as he looked up at her. "Mess with you? How?"

She locked eyes with him for a moment before looking away, squirming under his gaze. "I thought... No, that's not right. I _still_ think you're trying to get into my head and mess me up."

"Mess you up how?" he asked before his eyes widened, realizing it without her having to say anything else. "You thought I was trying to throw you off your game? So I could win?" After talking, he kept his lips parted, refusing to believe she thought he would do that.

She nodded. "I told you... I'm stupid. Even now I realize how crazy that sounds, but I... I can't shake the feeling that this is all some scheme."

Natsu stood up straight before walking up to her, standing less than a foot away. "Lucy, do you honestly believe I'd do something so dirty? Sure, I want to beat you, but not like that. What's the point of beating you if I cheat?"

With him standing so close, Lucy had a harder time avoiding his eyes. She looked at him, seeing the hurt on his face. Her bottom lip quivered as her eyes pricked, her heart tightening and her stomach dropping.

"I-I know you're n-not doing that," she started, voice cracking as she struggled to keep herself together, "but part of me is scared that's what's happening. Why else-" She stopped, swallowing thickly.

"Why else what?" Natsu asked, green eyes piercing her own, refusing to let this go. _'Does she really think that low of me?'_

Despite shaking her head, Lucy murmured, "Why else w-would you w-want to t-talk to m-me."

Natsu's eyes widened when he saw the tears form, but there was nothing he could do to stop them from rolling down her flushed cheeks. He panicked, heart racing as he tried to figure out what to say to her. "What do you mean? I want to talk to you because I wanna be your friend. Is that so hard to understand?"

She nodded, surprising him. "G-guys don't t-talk to me unless th-they want t-to ask me out or m-make fun of m-me." She dropped her head as her eyes closed, her arms wrapping around her body.

"Lucy, I-" He clenched his teeth, not knowing what to say. "Why would anyone make fun of you?"

Natsu didn't expect her tone to turn dark, her body shaking as if saying the words physically hurt her. "Do you know h-how many people make fun of m-me for playing com-competitively?" She paused, but she didn't look up to see if he nodded or shook his head. "They call me a p-poser. They say I'm just d-doing it for the attention. People don't t-take me seriously."

She finally looked at him, her brown eyes swimming with tears. "And then _you_ come along."

Natsu gulped, feeling her stare burn into him.

"Out of nowhere, you st-started trying to talk t-to me. I... I didn't know if you were g-going to try to hit on me or make f-fun of me, but you didn't do either." She gnashed her teeth together, her frustration palpable. "I c-couldn't figure out what you were t-trying to do."

Natsu opened his mouth, his throat feeling scratchy as he said, "So you thought the worse?" It wasn't an accusation, it was a statement. Lucy feared he was trying to do something bad, because that was what she had been led to believe from men.

She nodded, a silent sob racking her body. "I couldn't figure you out, and it made me mad. One minute you were bragging about a match you won, the next you're telling me you like my shoes. Who does that?"

Natsu wanted to say 'normal people', but he kept that thought to himself. "Lucy, I promise I'm not trying to mess with you. I honestly just want to be your friend." He shook his head, knowing a part of that wasn't true. "Well, damn it. I guess I do fit into one of those types of guys."

He saw Lucy try to press herself more against the machine, as if trying to get away from him. Just to be safe, he took a step back.

"S-so, were you tr-trying to make f-fun of me? Because if you were-"

"No!" Natsu tightened his hands into fists, clenching them twice before slowly releasing them. "I promise, I'm not."

"You've c-called me weird b-before," she whispered, making his body go rigid.

"Yes, but I didn't mean anything bad by it. I think weird is cool..." He gave her a wane smile, but with her looking away from him, she couldn't see it. "I think you're cool."

"Then how d-do you fit into one of th-those ty-" Lucy cut herself off, eyes widening as she looked up. "No?"

Natsu gulped, feeling heat consume his face, neck, chest, and ears. He struggled to keep eye contact with her, wanting to dig a hole and crawl into it to escape her intense stare.

It was ironic, seeing as she was standing at a Dig Dug game.

He cupped the back of his sweaty neck, his chest tight as he said, "I kinda have this cr-crush... on you..." He took another step back, giving her more space. "I understand if you don't feel the same way. I'm not trying to ask you out or anything. I really just want your friendship. I didn't mean to... Well, _feel_ this way. It just sorta happened."

When she didn't say anything, he added, "I'm sorry."

For a while, Natsu thought she wasn't going to respond. Slowly, she reached into her back pocket, pulling out her phone. He was about to ask what she was doing, but stopped when she held it up, her thumb pressing the button on the side of the device to light up the screen.

He didn't know what she was trying to show him until her finger swiped across the screen, showing him her home page. Natsu took in a sharp inhale, recognizing the picture on her background as the photo he sent her.

"You... you saved it?"

She nodded, her free hand wiping away the stray tears in her eyes. "I saved all of them."

His shoulders relaxed as he let that sink in. Not only did she read every message he sent her, she went out of her way to save them. "Wh... Why didn't you just reply back?" If she went through all that, why not say 'hi'. It wasn't as if he would bite her.

Natsu gulped, quickly getting that thought out of his head. Now certainly wasn't the time to be fantasizing about _that_. He only allowed himself to do that when he was in the privacy of his own room.

She shook her head. "I didn't know what you were trying to do," she said, putting her phone away. "Every time I thought about saying something, a thought would pop into my head that it was a bad idea. Plus, I... I didn't want to look weak."

"Huh? How would that make you look weak?"

She shrugged. "Well, it sounds stupid now, but I thought if you were messing with me, then responding would be like you won. I didn't want to lose."

"Is everything a competition?" he asked, no humor in his tone. He liked a little healthy competition between his friends, along with this tournament, but he knew when to call it quits... most of the time anyway.

He saw her gulp before she nodded. "I was told growing up that if I wasn't the best, I was nothing..."

Natsu's frown returned, his lips curling back to show his sharp canines. "Who would say something like that?"

She looked away from him, mumbling, "My father... Nothing I did impressed him." She sighed, running a hand through her long, golden hair. "You want to know what he said to me when I told him I got accepted to my dream school?"

Natsu didn't know if he should say yes, but he did anyway.

"He said I would do better with my life if I just became a housewife. Then he gave me a list of 'potential candidates' for my future husband."

"Really?" he asked, not that he didn't believe her. "Why would he say that?"

She shrugged, crossing her arms around her waist. "I don't know. I guess I wasn't good enough after all."

Natsu shook his head, refusing that answer. "You're amazing. He's just a dick for saying that. If he can't see how awesome you are, he's missing out."

He watched as the flush slowly spread to her ears, painting her pale skin red. "Thanks, Natsu."

A small smile ghosted over his lips. He blinked, surprised and happy that for once, she accepted what he said and didn't immediately scoff at him or write him off as annoying.

Just to tease her and lighten the mood, Natsu chuckled. "So, you can take a compliment after all?"

Her shoulders shook as she suppressed a laugh.

"I know," she drawled, dragging a hand over her face. "It's one of my _many_ flaws."

Natsu pouted. He didn't like her talking badly about herself. "It's okay. We all have flaws."

Lucy shook her head, giving him a pointed look. "Not as much as I do. I'm stubborn, overly competitive, a sore loser-"

Natsu couldn't stop himself from saying, "Well, to be fair, you're kinda a sore winner too."

They both laughed, Lucy nodding as she moved to rest her hands on the arcade machine behind her. "I can't argue with that, but a part of me wants to."

Natsu smiled. Not only did he like hearing Lucy's true laugh, but he also enjoyed hearing her have fun with the situation they were in. It was true, Lucy did have qualities about her that made it harder to be friends with her. After hearing what she had to say, he realized why they never seemed to be on the same page.

She thought he was trying to mess with her head.

It was ridiculous, he would never do such a thing, and he hoped she was slowly realizing that as well.

"One of my worst flaws is that," Lucy started, all humor lost from her voice. She looked him straight in the eyes, gulping before she said, "I'm mean to people who don't deserve it. I'm really sorry, Natsu. I put you through so much, and you deserved better. I don't want to make excuses for myself, but... If you're still offering, I'd like to be your friend."

Natsu's eyes widened, lips parting as he stepped forward. "You mean it?!" A grin pulled at his lips, his heart leaping in his chest. He had wanted her friendship for so long.

She nodded, taking a half-step towards him. "I do. I would understand if you don't want that anymore. I've been a bitc-"

"Don't," Natsu quickly cut her off, shaking his head. "Don't finish that."

Lucy frowned, her hands wringing together in front of her. "But I am. I've been horrible to you."

"Even so, I don't wanna hear you degrade yourself. I've never wanted that."

Lucy's lower lip started twitching again, her brown eyes turning watery. Natsu flinched, realizing she was going to cry again. He couldn't stand when girls cried. "I forgive you," he rushed out, hoping that would help. "I forgive you for everything."

"You're just saying that," Lucy said, blinking her tears away.

He shook his head. "I forgave you a long time ago. If you get to know me, you'd see I'm not the type to hold a grudge."

He didn't know what to expect, but what she said came as a surprise to him. "Can I get to know you?"

Relief flooded him as her words soaked in. "I'd like that."

Before he knew it, the two of them were headed to the bar, sitting off to the side while they talked. It was a little awkward at first, neither knowing how to start it, but after Lucy asked Natsu what he was majoring in, the conversation started to flow.

He told her about his school, his city, and his friends. Lucy told him about the freedom she got when she moved out of her father's house and how her friends were everything to her.

Natsu mentioned he had a cat named Happy, even pulled out his phone to show a picture of him. He found it odd she didn't look surprised when she saw him. Most people at least raised a brow when they saw a cat with blue fur.

Lucy showed him her old dog, Plue, that passed away when she was younger. He didn't let her know that he had already seen the picture before. He may have visited her profile a few too many times, trying to learn more about his idol.

Natsu asked her how her match against 'Raven Tail' went, to which she started ranting about how they sabotaged her controls. He chuckled, saying she really was a sore winner, but that he was happy she won.

Lucy asked how his match against 'The Spriggans' went, even though he suspected she was there to witness it. He told her anyway, not wanting to call her out on it. If she wanted to come watch him play, he was more than happy to let her. It wasn't as if he had never watched her.

Natsu asked her what she meant earlier when she said she was jealous over a fangirl, but she quickly changed the subject, asking if he wanted to go play some games together. He agreed, but kept the question in the back of his mind.

 _'If she was jealous I hugged another girl, does that mean she might like me too?'_ Earlier today, he would have doubted it, but now he wondered if she harbored feelings for him in return. He could always ask her later. Right now he was having too much fun talking and hanging out with Lucy.

She was surprisingly pleasant when she wasn't trying to cut people down.

Lucy apologized a few more times while they played a two-player Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game. He shrugged it off, wanting to look cool and calm, but inside he was happy. He swore his heart had never pounded so fast in his life.

"Hey Lucy," Natsu started, only continuing when he heard her hum. "I have a question."

"What is it?" she asked, hitting the controls like it was second nature to her. She had more points and lives than him. He couldn't help but admit it, she was good at video games.

"Can we start over?"

Lucy finally looked up from the game, ignoring the sounds that came after her character was being attacked. "Really?"

He nodded, desperately wanting a fresh start. He wished life was more like a video game where he could just hit 'reset' and try again. "Yeah. Is that okay?"

Lucy paused before thrusting her hand out to him, shocking him. "Yes."

He looked down at her hand, smiling when he realized what she was trying to do. He grasped her hand, feeling how small and soft it felt in his own. After giving it a firm shake, he knew he was supposed to let go, but he didn't. She didn't pull away either, holding his gaze.

The tips of her fingers lightly moved against his hand, eliciting small sparks on his skin, traveling up his arm. He gulped, breath catching when he saw her start to lean in. His brain seemed to stop working. It was as if he was unable to move his body or think correctly, only able to wait and see what she was trying to do.

However, he didn't get to find out.

They both jolted out of whatever daze they were in when their phones started going off. Lucy's ringtone was the Mario theme song while his was the sound of a wild Pokémon attacking in the original Pokémon Game Boy games.

Natsu turned away from Lucy first as he answered his phone, his heart beating wildly and his breathing slightly ragged. "Hello?"

Gray's voice came over the line. _"Where are you? Our match starts in thirty minutes."_

"Shit! Lost track of time. I'll be there soon!" Without waiting for a reply, he hung up, shoving his phone into his pocket. He turned to look at Lucy, seeing she was talking to someone on the phone.

"Yeah, I'll meet you in the room. Sorry, I wasn't watching the clock. My bad."

When she hung up, he asked, "Are you late too?"

"Kind of. My game doesn't start for an hour, but we were going to get together and go over our strategy before."

"Well," Natsu started, nodding towards the front of the arcade. "Shall we?"

"Yes," Lucy nodded, following him to the exit, swinging by the bar beforehand to drop off their drinks.

Natsu didn't say anything about what was happening before their phone calls, and honestly, he wasn't upset when Lucy didn't bring it up either. A part of him thought maybe, just maybe she was trying to kiss him, but he cast that thought away.

'Why would she kiss me?' he wondered as they left the bar and headed down the street. He wouldn't mind if Lucy never tried to kiss him. It was her friendship he was after. Everything else would be asking for too much.

"Good luck against 'Tartaros'," Natsu said as they entered the hotel.

Before splitting off, Lucy gave him a warm smile. "Thanks. See you later?"

Natsu's brows pinched together in confusion. "Aren't you supposed to tell me good luck against 'Sabertooth'?"

She shook her head, taking a step away from him. "No, because I already know you're going to win."

He smiled, his heart warming. _'She believes in me...'_

Lucy waved as she headed to the elevators, leaving Natsu to walk to his friends. He didn't know when he would see Lucy again, but he hoped it was soon.

* * *

Natsu walked down the hall to find the room 'The Fairies' were playing in. His teammates were with him, also wanting to see how the girls were doing. Their match against 'Sabertooth' ended not too long ago, 'The Dragons' willing to claim a spot in the finals.

It took five matches to beat them. The only players left in the final seconds were Natsu on his team, and two boys named Sting and Rogue on the other team. Somehow, Natsu managed to beat them both, giving his team their victory.

By the time the guys entered the room, they saw the match was almost over. It came down to 'Search and Destroy' for them too. Natsu quickly found Lucy's screen, smiling when he saw her face through the webcam. Those bright brown eyes were full of determination, her lips moving as she talked over her mic, her brows pinched and two locks of blonde hair framing her face.

She was gorgeous.

That fire in her eyes reminded him of the first time he watched her play. Just like back then, he was cheering her on now. He watched as her character dodged and jumped to avoid getting hit, firing off at her enemies while she made her way across the map.

He stood along with the crowd when Lucy made it to the site and activated the bomb, scoring them the last point they needed. While Natsu was clapping, he realized it.

His smile slowly faded, his eyes dropping along with his hands.

His team won... Her team won... Tomorrow was the last round to see who was taking the prize this year. One of them was going to win, and one of them was going to lose. He couldn't throw the game, but he didn't want to see Lucy upset if she lost again.

Even as the room started clearing out, and 'The Dragons' stayed to congratulate 'The Fairies', Natsu still didn't know what he was supposed to do. Lucy was finally becoming his friend, but if he beat her, would that all go away?

Natsu excused himself just as the girls started leaving their spot behind the faux wall. He needed some time to himself to think things over, his thoughts conflicting as he struggled to sort through them.

In his daze, he left, not noticing the brown eyes lingering on him as he walked away.

* * *

 **Up next, Chapter Five: Body Language**

 **So, they're giving this whole 'friendship' thing a shot, and maybe just a little bit more...? Let me know what you thought of this chapter and of their talk. I know Lucy's behavior isn't excusable, but Natsu's willing to work past that to be her friend.**


	5. Body Language

**Chapter Five: Body Language (Day Four)**

Lucy cheered as she threw another shot back, the harsh burn traveling down her throat and into her belly. Her teammates were around her, all of them gulping back their own shots. They were celebrating another year of getting to the finals.

Stumbling, Lucy headed to the dance floor, grabbing Erza by the waist as they moved with the music. Levy and Juvia were partnered up, dancing beside them. She was doing a good job at forgetting her worries, leaving them behind for the night.

Lucy was thankful their hotel wasn't too far away. She could do the same thing she did last night when she was done partying, though she hoped she wouldn't be walking to the hotel alone tonight.

If her teammates weren't with her, she hoped a certain Dragon Boy was.

It was a bit presumptuous of her. She didn't know if Natsu would be on board with the little plan rattling around in her brain. She had made up her mind shortly after winning their match against 'Tartaros'. She wanted to tell Natsu she had a crush on him too, and the liquid courage she kept pouring down her throat helped steel that resolve.

She had no idea what would happen after she told him she liked him back, but she was willing to find out. Well, that wasn't completely true. She wasn't going to sleep with the guy. They might not be true rivals, but that didn't mean she was going to give it up that fast.

However, that didn't mean she couldn't have fun with him, if he was willing of course.

Lucy didn't allow herself to think about tomorrow as she danced. Tonight was the only thing she was concerned about. Their match against 'The Dragons' would take place in the afternoon, giving them plenty of time to work past their hangovers before the big game, if they got any.

As Lucy's hips swayed with the music, she raised her hands above her head, feeling the bass travel through her body from the floor. She felt alive and free, something that rarely happened since she usually kept herself wound so tight.

Lucy spun, her eyes catching a familiar face in the crowd before she stopped herself. She looked back, seeing Natsu wave at her before heading to the bar. She waved back, not that he could see. Instead of pouting, Lucy continued dancing, knowing she would see him soon enough.

After another twenty minutes of dancing, Lucy called it quits. She headed to the bar, her head feeling lighter than normal, but the alcohol in her system kept her buzzed.

She spotted Natsu standing beside Gray and Jellal. He was knocking back two shots in a row, shaking his head as his body shook. If she didn't know any better, she would say he wasn't much of a drinker either.

Feeling a bit tipsy and brave, Lucy walked right up to him, a lazy grin gracing her face. "Hey, Dragon Boy."

Natsu looked over at her, raising a brow as he repeated, "Dragon Boy?"

She shrugged, though she didn't know why. "Whatcha drinkin'?"

He chuckled, his eyes much sharper than hers as he met her hazy gaze. "Tequila. You want some?"

She shook her head, taking a step closer to him. She watched in amusement as he spread his legs on the bar stool, silently inviting her to stand between them. Jellal and Gray snickered something before walking away, each holding their own beers as they went to the dance floor. Lucy figured they would go looking for her teammates, but honestly she didn't care.

What she did care about were those deep green eyes looking back at her. She licked her lips, a sudden thrill traveling through her when she saw Natsu's breath hitch, his Adam's apple bobbing as he gulped.

She said nothing to him, instead putting an arm on the bar to hold herself steady. She watched as Natsu ordered two more shots, downing both of them by himself before grunting. "Fuck, that's strong."

"Why are you drinking so much?" Lucy asked, head languidly cocking to the side.

He chuckled, his voice sounding a bit deeper and slower than before. "Gotta catch up to you, Miss Tipsy."

She giggled for way too long at his joke, her body shaking as she let go of her inhibitions. Leaning in, Lucy smirked. "Are you also trying to forget about tomorrow?"

He blinked at her twice before nodding, placing his hands between his legs to grip the chair as he leaned in, keeping only a few inches of space between their faces. "Actually, yeah. That okay?"

Lucy nodded, letting her hands fall between his legs to cover his hands, feeling the warmth radiating off his skin. Natsu didn't jerk away. Instead, he leaned in an inch. "What do ya say, Fairy? Wanna dance?"

Natsu allowed her to pick up his hands as she pulled him off the bar stool, leading him to the crowd. "Thought you'd never ask," she said, but he couldn't hear her over the pounding music.

Somewhere between the third or fourth song, Natsu's body started reacting to the alcohol in his system. His eyes were hooded, a smile painted on his face no matter how many times Lucy accidentally stepped on his feet. She was normally a good dancer, but when under the influence, she was a bit wild.

Lucy strung her hands around his neck, swaying to the beat as she moved closer to him. His hands rested on her waist, gripping her through her clothes. She kept his gaze, her fingers playing with the ends of his hair and the soft material of his scarf. She didn't bother asking him why he was wearing a scarf at a night club. Her brain wasn't exactly working at full capacity at the moment to even care.

Lucy pressed herself closer to him, looking into his eyes through her thick lashes. She winked, smiling when she saw the blush spread over his features. Or maybe it was the alcohol? She couldn't tell.

Her hands started moving, fingers brushing over his shoulders before moving down, gripping at his biceps. She hummed as she felt the muscles under his shirt, the tips of her fingers slipping under his sleeves to get a better feel.

Natsu allowed her to do whatever she wanted to him, giving her encouraging squeezes to her side whenever she did something he liked.

Lucy threw her head back as the music and alcohol consumed her, along with the heat from his hands when he held her tighter. When she looked at him again, she paused, biting her lower lip to gain his attention. She dragged her tongue over her lip, watching as his mouth parted.

One of her hands stayed on his arm while the other went back up, trailing along his jaw before venturing to his ear. She felt the tips were warmer, his blush spreading.

Lucy gave him a look, hoping to convey what she wanted without any words needing to be said. She was relying on her body language to speak for her.

Natsu seemed to get the hint when she pulled at his arm, bringing him closer.

With their chests pressed together and their breaths mingling between them, Lucy sighed. She couldn't count how many times she thought about having Natsu this close to her, wondering what she could do to him, but never thinking it would happen.

Before she could let the moment slip away, Lucy leaned in, easily capturing his lips in a kiss. He didn't hesitate to return it, grip tightening on her as he thrust his tongue into her mouth, tasting every inch he could reach.

Lucy moaned when his rough fingers dug into her skin, pushing her shirt up a few inches so he could feel her skin directly.

The kiss was heated, but it was far too brief for Lucy's liking. Once they parted, she leaned in again, this time seeking his ear. She licked the shell a little messily before whispering, "Do you want to get out of here?"

Natsu couldn't lead her out of the club fast enough.

* * *

Lucy slammed the door shut as they rushed into her hotel room, bodies tangling together as they made their way inside. They had stopped in an alley and in the stairwell to kiss, needy and impatient as their hands roamed the other's body.

"Are... we... going... too... fast?" Natsu asked between kisses, groaning when she tugged at his hair.

"What?" she teased, sucking on his lower lip before giving him a piercing gaze. "Afraid you can't keep up?"

Natsu let out a low growl before stealing her breath away again. She thought they were going to end up on her bed, but Natsu had other ideas. He grabbed her thighs, hoisting her up. She gasped before settling on his waist, legs wrapped tightly around him for support. It wasn't needed. Natsu could have held her up by the grip he had on her ass alone, even when he was intoxicated.

He pushed her against the wall roughly, kissing and biting at her lips as if seeking dominance. Lucy wasn't fighting him, loving the way he took control of her. Everything else she tried to control, but she felt free giving it up.

Natsu's lips slid over hers before making his way to her jaw, layering kisses down her neck that left her skin feeling too hot and her body squirming against his. Her nails raked against his scalp, her fingers threading through his soft pink locks.

Natsu bit her neck, drawing a whimper from her before she rolled her hips against him, a low growl releasing as he bit her again. "Y-yes," she whimpered, eyes screwing shut as she let him dominate her.

Lucy didn't know whose doing it was, but they ended up falling on the bed. Natsu was on top of her, but she was the one pulling him closer. She needed to feel him against her again.

He stole her breath with every kiss, grunting when she wrapped her ankles around his legs and sucked at his bottom lip where his piercing was. She arched her back, pressing herself against his chest. Her hands clawed at his back, wishing his shirt would magically disappear, even if she had to set the thing on fire. She wanted to feel him, knowing there was a nice set of muscles hiding beneath.

Natsu's hands reached down, grabbing at the hem of her shirt. Lucy didn't realized she was playing with fire. She rolled her hips against his again, shuddering when he ripped her shirt apart, the cool air from the room hitting her heated skin.

Lucy didn't bother telling him he owed her a new shirt. She was too busy getting lost in his emerald eyes as he nipped at her lips. Their tongues rubbed against each other as his hands splayed against her stomach, slowly making their way up to her bra.

She ached all over, desperately wanting him to touch her.

However, he didn't get a chance.

Before he could nudge at her bra, they both heard the key card activation machine on the door. Natsu leaped off of Lucy, stumbling a bit as he looked around frantically. "Shit," he mumbled, a surprised gasp coming from his swollen lips when Lucy jerked at his hand.

"Under the bed, now," she whispered loudly, pointing downward.

Natsu ducked down before rolling under the bed, barely making it in time as they both heard the door open. Lucy stripped out of her torn shirt, knowing she had no way of explaining why it was ruined.

She turned around, pretending to dig through her luggage as she shoved the shirt deep into her stuff, pulling out a simple tank top to throw on.

As she slipped it over her head, she casually looked over her shoulder, seeing all three of her teammates enter the room. She opened her mouth to greet them, but Juvia was already talking. "Why did we have to leave? Juvia was having fun!"

Levy giggled, ready to answer her when she paused, raising a brow at Lucy's appearance. "Lu, why are you all sweaty?"

Lucy flinched, glancing down at herself to see a shine to her chest. She moved her hair over the side of her neck where Natsu was biting her earlier, hoping they hadn't already noticed. "Umm, I was exercising."

Her friends gave her an incredulous look, Erza being the first to challenge her lie. "What kind of exercise?"

Lucy hoped she didn't gulp too loudly. "P-push ups?"

"I've never seen you do a push up before," Erza said, raising a brow.

Lucy shrugged, trying her hardest to look nonchalant. "There's a first time for everything." She had no clue if they bought her story or not. Instead of letting them pick apart her lie, she quickly asked, "What are you doing here? I thought the club didn't close until later."

"Yeah, but we're kind of beat," Levy said, pulling off her heels.

Erza nodded, heading to the bathroom to change into her pajamas. "We need some sleep for tomorrow."

"Juvia was okay with staying up for a few more hours," the girl pouted, removing her dress as she shuffled to the bed she shared with Erza.

Lucy gulped, realizing they were all getting ready for bed. Normally, that wouldn't be a problem, but _normally_ she didn't have a man hiding under her bed!

"Gray said Lucy was talking to Natsu." Juvia's voice caught Lucy's focus, her eyes trailing up from the bed to land on her friend. "Did Lucy change her mind about him?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Lucy lied, feeling her heart pound faster in her chest. She didn't like the fact that he could hear their conversation. "I'm okay with h-him."

Levy threw up her hands, using a few fingers to quote her. "Natsu is just an immature boy who needs to learn his place."

Lucy's heart fell, her throat tightening and her stomach coiling. "I said that?"

"Yeah," Erza replied, stepping out from the bathroom in her night clothes, Juvia moving to use the bathroom next. "You said it last month."

Lucy's shoulders slumped as her head dropped, hoping Natsu wasn't angry at her. "I owe him an apology," she mumbled, imagining his hurt expression. All she had to do was get down on her hands and knees and she might see it.

"What?" Levy asked, a stunned expression taking over her face. "Did I hear you right?"

Lucy nodded, feeling tears prick at the back of her eyes. She didn't know if it was because she was still inebriated or not, but she felt worse about how she treated Natsu. _'Why was he still trying to be my friend? I'm the only jerk here.'_

Levy opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when she heard a light buzzing coming from the other side of the room. "What's that?"

Lucy's watery eyes widened in panic, realizing immediately what it was. "M-my phone!" she lied, gulping before she dropped to her knees, looking under the bed to see Natsu fumbling to silence his phone. They made eye contact for a quick second before Lucy was standing back up, lifting up her own phone that she slipped out of her pocket. "Got it!"

"Aren't you going to answer it?" Erza asked, making Lucy want to groan.

How many times could she lie to her friends before she was caught?

She glanced down at her screen, pretending she saw something. "It was probably a wrong number. I'm sure they'll leave a voicemail if it's important."

Lucy never knew if her friends believed that lie, because as soon as they started asking her a follow up question, they heard a knock coming from their door.

Juvia, who had finished in the bathroom, answered it. "Gray! What are you doing here?"

Lucy glanced over to the doorway, noticing the way Gray's eyes dropped over Juvia's form before looking at her face again. "Hey, uh, we were just wondering if you guys saw Natsu? We thought he might be with Lucy?"

"No," Erza said, walking to the doorway. "Lucy's in here."

"Oh, damn," Gray mumbled, pulling out his phone before pressing some numbers. "I tried calling him, but he won't pick up."

Lucy looked down at her feet, seeing a faint light coming from under the bed. Luckily, no sounds accompanied the light.

When Gray pulled his phone away from his face, he grunted. "Voicemail again. I swear, if he got drunk and passed out in some alley, I'm gonna-" His voice cut off when a chirp came from his phone. He clicked something before sighing. "I guess he's still at the night club. Weird, I could've sworn we looked everywhere before we left."

"Sorry we couldn't have been more helpful," Erza said, her tone genuine. "You should tell him to leave though. It's getting late. We all have a big day tomorrow."

Gray chuckled as he pocketed his phone. "True. Thanks, I'll see you four in the morning."

After Juvia wished him a good night and closed the door, Lucy asked, "Why in the morning? The competition's not until later."

"We decided to watch the match tomorrow morning together," Levy explained. "Is that okay?"

Lucy nodded. She had almost forgot there would be another match. It would be 'Tartaros' vs. 'Sabertooth' to see who claimed third and who came in fourth.

"Absolutely," Lucy said with a nod, already looking forward to it. She hadn't been able to sit down and watch an entire match during this tournament, so it would be a nice change of pace. Not only that, she would be able to see Natsu, even if they weren't actually talking. Hanging out would be good enough for her. She had a lot of making up to do to get this friendship on the right path, even if she sort of derailed the path after what they did tonight.

A hint of red tinged her cheeks, but before anyone could ask about it, Lucy said, "We should go to sleep now!"

"You're right," Erza agreed, slipping into her bed, Juvia doing the same a moment later.

Lucy was thankful Natsu was under her side of the bed. She didn't have to make some stupid excuse for switching sides. Honestly, she didn't know what her plan was, but she had to figure it out quick.

While Lucy waited for the girls to fall asleep, she laid on her chest, letting her arm hang off the side of the bed. Natsu was busy playing with her hand, drawing random shapes on her palm and occasionally pulling at her fingers. She was trying to provide him with some entertainment seeing as he couldn't use his phone without the light catching someone's attention.

After about thirty minutes, Lucy heard the girls even breaths, letting her know they were asleep. As carefully as she could, Lucy crawled out of bed. While she put on her shoes and slipped her pants over her night shorts, Natsu wiggled from under the bed.

They didn't say anything as they made their way across the floor, making sure to stay completely silent so they wouldn't wake the girls. Lucy didn't want to get caught sneaking Natsu out of their room. She could imagine dying from embarrassment from the many questions they would have for her.

Lucy was the one to open the door, her movements careful as she pulled it towards her. She left just enough room for her and Natsu to escape, not wanting too much light to enter the room and wake the girls up.

Once they were in the hall and the door was closed, they sighed.

"Shit, that was close," Natsu laughed, resting against the wall near her door.

Lucy crawled over and sat beside him, her heart beating wildly from almost getting caught. It was a similar thrill she felt from playing video games, making her feel alive.

"Sorry about that," Lucy mumbled, feeling her stomach twist.

"Nah, it's fine. It was kinda fun, my first girls' sleepover," he joked, earning a shoulder nudge from Lucy.

"That's not what I meant," she said, voice growing soft. "I'm sorry about what I called you. I don't think you're an immature boy..."

Natsu nodded, lolling his head to the side so he could look at her. "It's okay. I may have said some mean things about you too."

Her eyes widened, a smile gracing her lips. "Oh yeah? Like what?"

His shoulders shook as he held back a laugh. "I usually call you 'impossible'. Like, you're impossible to deal with. Kinda lame, but it was the best I could come up with."

Lucy's smile turned into an amused grin. "I'm impossible?" She leaned in, resting her chin on his shoulder as she batted her eyes at him. Her voice was dripping with sarcasm as she asked, "When have I _ever_ been impossible?"

Instead of answering her question, Natsu settled for leaning in, pressing his forehead to hers. "Weirdo."

She huffed, taking her revenge by biting at his shoulder before pulling back. A cheeky grin rested on her face as she moved to stand up, only to fall back down when Natsu grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him.

She accidentally pushed him back in the process, half-hovering over him with one of her hands pressed against the ground to hold herself up. Her eyes flitted from his eyes to his lips, remembering how it felt to suck on his lip ring. Before she knew it, they were leaning towards each other, neither knowing who started the kiss.

Truthfully, Lucy didn't give a flying fuck who started it. She was going to finish it.

The kiss wasn't nearly as heated as before when they were behind closed doors. They kept a gap between their bodies, Natsu's hands lightly gripping on her waist while her free hand carded through his soft pink locks.

They pulled away after two minutes, lips already starting to swell while fresh blushes coated their faces. As Lucy sat up, she realized she was a lot less intoxicated than before, but she could still feel the thrum of alcohol in her system.

Natsu looked more sober too, his eyes not nearly as hazy and voice having no traces of a slur. She was so focused on how well he was able to talk, she almost missed what he said.

"Do you want to go out with me?"

Lucy flinched back, eyes wide as her heart flipped. "Wh-what? Like... boyfriend girlfriend?"

Natsu shook his head as he gulped. "Umm, that's not what I meant. I mean... like a d-date?"

"Oh..." Lucy's panic attack slowly faded as she nodded. "That sounds good. When?"

"Now?"

Lucy raised a brow before grinning. Natsu truly was random. "Yeah. I'm kind of hungry."

The two of them stumbled out of the hotel, opting to take the elevator because Lucy said her legs were starting to hurt from all the dancing and climbing stairs earlier. During the ride, Natsu's face turned a shade of blue and he had to keep a hand over his mouth, but he made it.

The cab ride to the twenty-four hour diner was a different story. He groaned and moaned, nearly holding his head out of the window to suck in fresh air. When they arrived, he poured himself into a booth in the back, taking a moment to recover before the waiter came to get their orders.

Lucy found it all amusing and cute. Every time she had seen Natsu in a vehicle - _which had only been a few times_ , he had taken some sort of medication for his sickness. Apparently he didn't think he would be needing it today, and neither of them wanted to stop by his hotel room and grab his pills.

He regained control of himself after a few minutes, smiling like his usual self as he ordered - _in Lucy's opinion_ \- too many things for one late-night snack. She stuck with a simple burger and fries.

They talked while they waited for their meals, awkwardly avoiding two conversational pieces: the tournament and their kisses.

Lucy definitely didn't mind. She enjoyed getting to know more about him, asking what he liked to do for fun in Magnolia.

"Every year in the spring we have a county fair. People dress up for it. I can't go on too many rides. My medication helps, but it doesn't completely get rid of the motion sickness. I do like riding the mechanical bull though."

Lucy perked up, leaning against the table as she asked him to tell her more.

"I try to ride it every year. I can get to the start of level seven before I fall off."

Lucy shook her head as she giggled. "I have no idea what that means, but I'm guessing it's good?"

He nodded, his smile growing when their food was placed in front of them. Natsu had no qualms about talking while eating, so Lucy got to hear all about the fun he had in Magnolia while they ate.

When they finished, they sat around, even after paying for the check. Lucy wasn't ready to leave their conversation, and Natsu said he wasn't tired, though, the frequent yawns he gave suggested otherwise.

Still, they stayed.

They were both more on the sober side, the food and time away from alcohol helping to bring them back to normal. Natsu told them to both drink lots of water, so they drank until their heart's content.

"We did some crazy things while we were drunk," Natsu mumbled, finding it hard to keep her eye contact the more lucid he became.

Lucy nodded, biting her lower lip. "Yeah..." She turned her head, lifting her hair out of the way. "Are there any marks?"

He inspected her neck for a moment before shaking his head. "It's a little red, but it didn't bruise."

She nodded, thankful there wasn't any evidence. She wouldn't be able to hide a hickey from her friends for a whole day. Lucy relaxed in the seat, the tip of her foot brushing against his ankle, causing a faint blush to spread over Natsu's face.

When he opened his mouth, Lucy thought he was going to say something about whatever was going on between them. She wasn't looking forward to that conversation, because honestly, she didn't know herself. She was hoping they could wait until later to figure things out and just enjoy the night. It had been so long since she simply enjoyed something, she didn't want it to end.

However, what Natsu said made her stomach twist and her heart pound for different reason.

"Tomorrow..."

Reality set in for Lucy. _Tomorrow_ was technically today since her phone said it was one in the morning, but she didn't bother correcting him. She was too busy internally panicking, her palms already starting to sweat.

The finals were 'tomorrow', meaning one of them was going to win while the other lost.

Natsu's voice sounded strained as he asked, "Whatever happens, can we stay friends?"

Lucy blinked in surprise, the corner of her lip quirking up. She slowly nodded, seeing the relief that flooded his eyes. No matter what, she would stay his friend. She may be mad if she lost, but she could work past that, even if it hurt. Natsu was a great guy and a fantastic friend. She didn't want to give that up.

"I'll stay your friend."

A small part of Lucy screamed in protest, telling her this was all some kind of sick game Natsu was playing to get her to throw the competition, but she ignored the voice. Anything was possible, but she hoped that wasn't what he was doing. If it was, well, she'd never forgive him. She showed him just how vulnerable she could be. She didn't want that to all be for nothing but a cruel prank.

The softness in his green eyes when he looked back at her reminded her that she had nothing to worry about. Natsu had proven he was kind and sweet, not to mention patient! She could allow herself to feel happy and vulnerable around him. _'He won't hurt me.'_

She couldn't say she exactly trusted him, but she was getting there.

"Just promise me you'll give it your all," Lucy said, heart pounding when he nodded.

"Wouldn't dream of anything else."

* * *

When they got back to the hotel, they took the elevator again. Lucy allowed Natsu to lean on her, a sad smile on her face as they passed each floor, bringing them closer to their rooms.

Their realities.

The walk down the hall seemed longer than usual. She didn't know if it was because of her slow pace or the way Natsu dragged his feet as he recovered from his sickness. By the time they stopped outside of her room, Natsu looked like he was feeling better.

Without much thinking, Lucy opened her arms, the back of her ears burning as she asked, "C-can I have a hug?"

A grin spread over his face as he stepped into her arms, accepting her embrace. "Of course."

The hug wasn't brief. It was as if neither party wanted to let go. Luckily for them, no one else was up at that hour. They were probably all smart and knew they needed sleep for the competition. Still, Lucy and Natsu took time with their hug.

When Natsu pulled away, Lucy made the 'mistake' of biting at her bottom lip, drawing his attention. She watched as his eyes hooded and he leaned in, pressing his lips to hers.

The kiss wasn't like their others. This one was slow and lazy, their tongues carefully coming out to mingle with the other. Lucy took her time exploring Natsu's mouth, enjoying the way he shuddered when she tickled the roof of his mouth with her tongue.

Natsu pulled away for a brief second, only to say, "I've wanted this for so long," before sealing his lips over hers.

Something about the needy sound behind his words made her body pulse, wanting more but knowing they were more restricted than earlier. They couldn't go to her room or his, the chances of being caught too much.

As Natsu sucked on her tongue and made her moan, she thought about asking him if he wanted to get a hotel room for themselves, but she cast the idea aside. Just because they had crossed a few too many lines already, didn't mean they should keep going. There was still too much they needed to know about each other before they took this any further, even though her body wanted him now.

When they finally ended the kiss, they were both panting, bodies slightly thrumming with need. Lucy pressed herself against the wall while Natsu did the same to the opposite one, as if knowing they should be separated. The hungry look in Natsu's eyes let her know he wanted more too, but he was being a good guy by keeping his distance.

"W-we should probably get some s-sleep," Lucy said, her voice shaky.

He nodded, lips parted as he breathed heavily. "Y-yeah."

"See you in the m-morning."

Natsu swallowed before taking a step away from the wall, but he didn't come any closer to her. She was thankful for it. If they kissed again, she really didn't think she would be able to stop. Something about him made her blood run hot, but in a delicious way that had her begging for more.

"See you tomorrow." He kept her gaze as he started walking, stopping when he made it to his room. "Sweet dreams," he said before looking away, pulling out his key card to get into his room.

Before he opened the door, Lucy whispered, "You too, Dragon Boy."

She saw the way his lips twitched into a smile as he pushed his door open, disappearing inside.

She waited a few minutes before pulling her own key card out, knowing when she opened that door and went in, reality would come crashing down on her.

He was her enemy, and she had to take him down.

 _'But...'_ Lucy thought as she slowly slid the card into the reader, frowning when she remembered she had to do it a bit faster than that. She laughed at herself as she struggled to open the simple lock, breathing out a sigh of relief when she managed to open the door.

As Lucy fumbled in the dark to get to her bed, undressing before crawling onto the mattress, she thought, _'Just because he's my enemy for the tournament, doesn't mean he has to be my enemy in life...'_

She curled under the blankets, frowning when she realized they weren't nearly as warm as Natsu's body had been. She could feel her blush starting up again, making her want to laugh.

 _'Why is he able to do this to me?'_ she wondered as she closed her eyes, preparing herself for sleep. Before she lost consciousness, she smiled. _'Because I really like him.'_

* * *

 **Up next, Chapter Six: Intertwined**

 **The next chapter will be a mixture of their POVs like most of my stories do. Hope you enjoy! Be sure to tell me what you thought of this chapter!**

 **The next chapter is the last one! Hope you've been enjoying this short story so far! Sorry if it seems rushed with them jumping straight to kissing, but keep in mind, they're both adults who have been constantly thinking of the other for the past few years. Plus, the alcohol helps speed their progress up. (At least they didn't do anything too intimate/have sex)**


	6. Intertwined

**Chapter Six: Intertwined (Day Seven)**

The first thought that ran through Lucy's mind when she woke up the next morning was, 'That was just a dream, right?' It wasn't until she checked her bag and found her torn shirt that she realized it did in fact happen.

She had made out with Natsu.

Multiple times.

A soft blush stayed permanently on her face as she got ready that morning, keeping quiet so as not to arouse any suspicion. Despite her friends not saying anything, she felt like they knew. Her paranoia only grew tenfold by the time they made it down to the lobby. To Lucy, it felt like everyone was staring at her... Like they knew her little secret.

She gulped as they walked up to the members of 'The Dragons', giving a small wave before following the boys and her teammates to the room where the competition would take place. She felt Natsu's eyes on her as they walked, but she was too scared to meet his gaze. So, she settled for chewing on her inner cheek while she avoided him.

When everyone went to take their seats, Lucy found herself sitting between Erza and Natsu. Her hands shook in her lap, so she kept them clenched in fists so they wouldn't be as noticeable. She was thankful when the lights started to dim and the announcer began talking, assuring her that no one would pay attention to her.

At least, that was what she thought.

Halfway into the first match, she felt something brush against her thigh. She immediately looked down, squinting her eyes to try to see in the dark. It took her a few seconds, but she eventually saw the side of Natsu's hand resting two inches from her thigh at the edge of his seat.

When she looked up at him, she saw he was still facing the front, eyes trained on the screens as if it had his entire focus. Taking a deep breath, Lucy let her hand relax, then shifted it next to her thigh so it touched Natsu's. He waited a second before he slowly grasped her hand, pressing their palms together.

Lucy let her tongue drag over her top teeth as she tried to decide what to do. She could try to go back to her old ways and push Natsu away, or she could embrace this new friendship - _could she really call it just a friendship after last night?_ \- and lean into it.

With her heart pounding a mile a minute and her palm already sweating, Lucy tangled her fingers against his until they were intertwined, the heat from his hand traveling up her arm and over her chest. She had no idea how he was able to make her feel so hot with his simple touches.

Truthfully, she didn't think she wanted to know. For now, she would just call it magic.

Lucy was happy no one could see her holding hands with Natsu due to the lack of lights. It wasn't that she was ashamed about what was happening. It was more that she was embarrassed of herself. She spent so much time and energy convincing people and herself that she didn't like Natsu, only to end up in his arms again and again last night.

Why had she pushed him away for so long? If she would have accepted his offer of friendship in the first place, she might have been a lot happier.

It was true. Even though it was brief, accepting her feelings made her feel happy, like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Instead of pretending like his advances made her sick, she could actually enjoy them.

So once again, she found herself asking why she fought this for so long?

 _'I'm stubborn, competitive, rude, and a sore loser,'_ she reminded herself, sighing. She had a lot of work she had to do on herself, but wasn't that the first step? Admitting she had a problem?

By the time Lucy zoned back in to reality, the teams were already on their second match. 'Sabertooth' were in the lead, but 'Tartaros' wasn't going to be taken down so easily. Lucy remembered struggling to beat them, but she also knew 'Sabertooth' was a great team as well.

It was anyone's game.

Just like it would be anyone's game when Lucy's team went up against Natsu's.

Her hand squeezed his as a rush of anxiety flared in her chest. She needed to be the best. She needed to destroy her enemies. Her natural instinct was to leave the room so she could go practice, but she remained still, using Natsu as an anchor. She felt him squeeze her hand back, wondering why her heart flipped in her chest from the action.

It took everything in her not to look over at him, wanting to see what kind of expression he held. There were too many people around. Even in the darkness, it would look suspicious if she kept stealing glances at the man she called her rival.

Lucy watched the last matches play out. 'Tartaros' won the second match, while 'Sabertooth' won the one after that. It seemed neck and neck for a moment, but 'Sabertooth' crushed their opponents, giving them the victory they needed to earn third place.

She clapped along with everyone else. Truthfully, she wasn't rooting for either team, but the crowd seemed pleased with the results. As the lights slowly came on, Lucy loosened her grip on Natsu's hand. He did the same, not putting up a fight when she placed her hand in her lap, separating them.

She was about to stand up and leave, but her body froze when she heard the announcer speak.

"Thank you all for coming out this morning! Our next match, featuring 'The Dragons' and 'The Fairies' will be in Ballroom A at four. Make sure you come early so you can get your seats. We expect it to be packed due to the three year rivalry between these two teams!"

Lucy wished the floor could swallow her up. Here she was trying to forget that Natsu was her enemy, only to be reminded that this was the third year they were fighting in the finals together.

Lucy's team won first, then Natsu's team won. This year would basically be like their personal two out of three to see who was better.

She chose a bad time to let her guard down.

 _'Natsu's not messing with you. He's not messing with you. Breathe. Breathe.'_ She tried her best to calm herself down, worried that she was making a huge mistake by spending time with Natsu. She wanted to win, but she also wanted to keep her new friend.

 _'He said he wanted to be friends either way,'_ she reminded herself, but the stress didn't fade. It lingered in her mind, a dull thrum that wouldn't go away.

When the game was over and the announcer dismissed everyone, the two teams decided to walk around the convention center. They had been too busy the past two days with their own competitions that they didn't get a chance to look around.

While Gray, Juvia, Erza, and Jellal went to a room where a panel about upcoming games was being held, the others went to the dealer's room to look at merchandise. Lucy found herself drifting away from the others as they walked past the different booths.

She got distracted with some decals for controllers, finding she liked one with a soft pink background and little yellow stars decorating it. She wasn't exactly made of money after leaving home, but she had enough to splurge every once in a while, prompting her to buy one that would fit her controller back home.

After receiving her merchandise in the bag, she continued looking around. While reading the back of a case for a game she hadn't heard of before, she felt something brushing her arm. Jolting, she looked over, her heart slowing down when she realized it was just Natsu's fluffy scarf.

"Hey," she started, setting the game down. "Find anything you like?"

He nodded, a small grin on his face that he tried to conceal, but Lucy saw right through it. "Yup. What do ya think?"

He held up a small white plushie, an orange cone in the shape of a nose and two black button eyes sown on it. It had a smile on its face with its short arms stretching forward, as if reaching for something.

Lucy's lips parted as she took in the sight. Her hands came up to touch it, but she quickly pulled them back, not wanting to upset Natsu if he didn't want it being touched. "It's a Nikora," she breathed, admiring the stitches. She could tell it wasn't manufactured in a warehouse, instead being homemade.

"You like it?" Natsu asked, causing Lucy to tear her gaze away from the plushie to look at him.

"It's so cute!"

Natsu's smile grew as he pushed the plushie closer to her. "Here."

"I can hold it?" she asked, taking it from him so she could feel the soft material against her fingers. Its eyebrows were curved as if to show it was nervous.

Nikora was a species in one of the games Lucy used to play as a child. Each one had its own personality. Some looked exactly the same, while others had slightly different appearances. This Nikora looked identical to the most common type, but its expression was unique.

"You can have it," Natsu said, tongue playing with his lip ring from inside his mouth. When Lucy looked up at him in shock, he mumbled, "I got him for you..."

"You did?"

He nodded, jerking a thumb somewhere behind him. "A lady was sellin' them and some other stuff. I thought you might like it 'cause you played the game..."

Lucy was speechless for a moment, her brain trying to keep up with what he said. _'He... he got this for me...'_ Lucy couldn't remember the last time she got a present from someone who wasn't her close friends. She swallowed, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Th-thank you," she whispered, feeling her heartbeat triple. "I-I don't know how to repay you."

He shook his head, cupping the back of his neck as he avoided her gaze. A small blush tinted his cheeks and nose as he said, "No need to thank me. Just promise you won't toss it out or throw it at me."

She could hear the mix of teasing and nervousness in his tone. She smiled, bringing the plushie to her chest to hug it. "I'll never throw it out," she promised, lowering her head so she could rub her cheek against it. "I love Nikoras! Thank you!"

Before Natsu could say anything, her head snapped up. "Wait a second! I never told you I played that game! How do you know?!"

"Uhh," Natsu started, clearly thrown off by her question. "Y-you mentioned it before..."

Lucy shook her head, narrowing her eyes. She tried to sound threatening, but even she heard the mirth in her voice. "No, I didn't. Spill it, Natsu, or I really will throw it at you."

Natsu's eyes grew wide. "But you promised..."

"I promised I wouldn't throw it away. I said nothing about tossing him at your head."

The flush spread over his face as he scrambled for an answer. "I- uhh, well..." He gulped, taking a half-step back. "I may have... looked through your F-Facebook..."

Lucy's shoulders fell as she cocked her head. "You did?"

He was surprised when he didn't hear any anger in her tone. "Y-yeah..."

"Oh," she started, slowly nodding. "I guess that makes sense..."

"It does?" he asked incredulously. _'Why isn't she throttling me?'_

"Yeah. I mean, I kind of figured you were doing it anyways after you started sending me messages, but I didn't know for sure." Lucy bit at her bottom lip, hoping the heat in her face wasn't coming out as a blush. After she got her first message from Natsu, she went through her profile and made a few things 'public' so he might see them.

She tried convincing herself she was just doing it to aggravate him, making the photos of the competition where she took first place 'public' in the beginning, but slowly, she started making more things 'public' that had nothing to do with the competitions and more to do with herself. Though, she kept the pictures of herself in a bikini for 'friends', not wanting to attract any creepers.

She already got harassed enough. She didn't want to give them more reasons to bother her.

"You're not... mad?" Natsu asked cautiously, stealing a glance at her face. She didn't look angry, but he wanted to make sure.

Lucy shrugged, holding the plushie closer to her. "Honestly?" She looked around them, seeing no one was paying them any attention. "I... may have..."

Natsu leaned in, curious. His jaw dropped when she finished, not expecting _that_ answer at all.

"I've looked through your page too."

"You have? Really?" It wasn't that he thought she was lying. He just never thought she'd want to browse his profile. She made it seem like he annoyed her. He didn't think she would be interested in learning more about him until he finally convinced her to give a friendship with him a shot.

"Yes," she admitted, feeling heat spread to her neck and chest. She knew for a fact she was blushing now, no way to hide it. "A... a few times."

Natsu felt his lips quirking into a smile, amused and honestly a little relieved that she did that. _'So, I wasn't the only one snooping.'_

He didn't know it, but she saw more of his profile than he did of hers. She kept parts of hers private so only her friends could see, while his was all public. He never posted anything incriminating or too embarrassing, so he saw no problems with sharing it with the world. It wasn't as if he had stalkers or creepers lurking around.

"Are you mad?" she asked, but he immediately shook his head. "That's good..."

The two avoided each others gazes, giving them a moment to recover from their flushed faces and racing hearts. They were both snoopers, trying to learn more about the other person without anyone knowing.

Lucy sighed, realizing once again she could have saved so much time and energy by just accepting his friendship when he first presented it instead of acting like he was some evil entity.

"So," Natsu started, hoping to break the awkward silence, "wanna grab a bite to eat?"

Lucy nodded, feeling hungry now that he mentioned food. "Should we ask if anyone else wants to join?"

Natsu wanted to say 'no', but he nodded instead. "Sure." He could deal with sharing Lucy, as long as it meant he could still hang out with her. Though, he liked hanging out with her alone more. She was able to relax when it was just them and she didn't have to hide their friendship.

He didn't ask why she was pretending they weren't friends, despite everything that happened between them during the last twenty-four hours. He thought they would be openly friendly towards each other now, but Lucy apparently had other ideas.

He didn't push her, hoping she would come around when she was ready. If he could wait this long just to be her friend, he could wait a little longer.

* * *

Everyone met in the cafe for lunch. Lucy ended up sitting with her teammates with 'The Dragons' on the opposite side of the table, but she didn't let that bother her. It was probably better that she put some distance between her and Natsu. The competition was only a few hours away, and she honestly wasn't prepared mentally. She had to get in the right state of mind.

However, that was hard to do with a certain cute plushie sitting in her lap. She could've put it in her purse, but she wanted to keep looking at it every time she glanced down. Just like with the picture of the cherry blossom tree on her phone, her heart flipped when she saw it.

On their way to the elevators, a devious plan popped into Lucy's head. Despite what she thought earlier about needing to distance herself from Natsu, she wanted to spend just a small amount of time alone with him. Earlier had not been enough. She was greedy.

Everyone was heading back to their rooms to get ready for their interviews. The teams who made it to the finals would have an hour long panel where one of the officials for the tournament would ask them questions, then they would open the questions up for the audience. Lucy wasn't particularly fond of that part, but she knew she didn't have a choice in the matter.

When the elevator door opened on their floor and a few people walked out, Lucy let out a gasp, staring at her empty hands. "Oh no!"

"What is it?" Levy was the first to ask, followed by Juvia and Erza.

"I think I dropped my plushie! I can't find him!"

Natsu's eyes grew wide as he stepped back into the elevator. "I'll help you look for it."

Lucy gave him a sad smile. "Thank you."

"Don't take too much time," Erza said as she and the other girls exited the elevator. "We don't want to be late."

Lucy nodded, keeping up the facade. "It's probably still in the cafe, so it shouldn't take too long."

When Lucy and Natsu were the only ones on the elevator, she hit the 'door close' button. Once the elevator started moving, she quickly pressed the button for the floor below them, causing Natsu to frown.

"I thought you needed to look for your plushie?"

Lucy avoided his gaze as the elevator came to a stop, opening the doors to allow her to leave. She heard Natsu following her, his intense stare felt in the back of her head. She didn't let that get her off track, leading him to the stair well, hoping no one else would follow them.

When she entered, Natsu finally spoke up. "I took my pill today. I'm fine with takin' the elevator."

Lucy shook her head, walking off to the side before standing against the wall. "We're not going to the cafe."

"But your Nikora?" Natsu started, his voice a mix of confusion and hurt. "I thought you liked it?"

Lucy nodded, unzipping her purse to show him the little plushie inside. "I do."

Natsu furrowed his brows, taking a step closer to her. "Then why-"

His voice cut out when she reached out, grabbing onto his arms before pulling him closer. Natsu had to brace himself with a hand on the wall before he fell into her, but he didn't get a chance to ask her what she was up to. Soft plush lips crashed into his, her eyes sliding shut as her grip tightened on him.

It didn't take long before Natsu was melting into the kiss, his hands coming up to cup her flushed cheeks as he coaxed her to play with him by dragging his tongue along the seam of her lips.

Surprisingly, even though they were sober, their kiss was more clumsy than last night. Lucy accidentally pulled at his lip ring, causing him to wince before he tried deepening the kiss, only to end up with them both pulling apart after they clicked their teeth together.

They stared at each other, eyes wide and mouths parted. It took a second, but a lazy grin spread over Natsu's face, a chuckle escaping shortly after. Lucy laughed too, feeling ridiculous over their failed kiss. Instead of dwelling on it, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in for a tight hug.

She loved the way his warm, solid chest felt pressed against her. Natsu was easily the hottest man she had ever met, so the fact that he chose to not only befriend her, but like her too, left her stunned and flustered. She really didn't deserve him. He was too kind and patient for her, even if he could be a bit of a wild card himself.

Lucy sighed, content despite not getting what she wanted. She was hoping for a quick make out session, something to get her hot and bothered without going too far, but this was good too. Just hugging Natsu made her feel better, reminding her that this tournament was just that, a single competition. It didn't run her life, not if she didn't let it.

Lucy was okay with not kissing, so she was surprised when Natsu tried again, this time gently pressing his lips against hers. They took it slow, building up until they were both panting, clinging to each other as they denied themselves air.

Natsu was worried they were moving too fast, but damn it, her lips tasted too good and his heart was pumping like crazy. He couldn't stop, but he had to. If they kept this up, they would miss the interviews and the match.

And wouldn't that be an anticlimactic ending to this year's tournament?

He thought about asking her to be his girlfriend as soon as he sucked in some air, but he kept the thought to himself. Despite the events of the last day, he still had his reservations. He had to see how she was after the competition before he allowed himself to give her his heart. It was only natural to be cautious after the way she treated him for years.

Still, he hoped it would work out, no matter who won.

"We should go back," Lucy mumbled, but her feet stayed planted on the ground.

Natsu snorted, bending over to pick up her purse before slinging it over his shoulder. She raised a brow, cocking her head as he adjusted the bag before opening his arms.

"May I carry you?"

"What?"

Natsu tore his gaze away from her for a moment while he collected himself. When he looked back, his expression was serious. "May I carry you?"

Lucy bit her inner cheek, her heart slamming against her chest as if it wanted to get to him. Not only was she going to get to be lifted by his arms again, he was asking permission this time! She didn't think she could nod fast enough.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her effortlessly before slinging her over her shoulder, wrapping an arm around her thighs, right under her butt. "Hold on tight," he joked before heading up the stairs, his grip tightening on her so he could use one hand to hold the rail on his way up.

Lucy giggled as he walked up the steps, her heart racing as she saw them get higher and higher. She was a little scared, afraid she might fall and hurt herself, but she was putting her faith in Natsu. If anyone could carry her to their floor, it was him.

By the time he made it to the next level, Lucy's face was as red as a tomato. Luckily, Natsu's wasn't much better. They headed down the hall, keeping their laughter at a low volume until they reached Lucy's door. She gave him a brief hug, whispering another thanks for the plushie before separating.

She waited until Natsu reached his room before using her key card on the door, her small smile resting on her lips as she entered the room.

Only, something seemed odd when she peeked around the door. All three of the girls were in the bathroom by the front door, each looking at the mirror with their hands mindlessly messing with their hair or make up.

All Lucy had to do was narrow her eyes at them through the mirror before one of them cracked, revealing the truth.

Levy flinched, swallowing thickly before she said, "H-hey Lu. Did you have fun with Natsu?"

Lucy was quiet, staring her friends down as she debated her next move. Her brain's automatic response was to lie and deny, but she was able to push that voice down, instead saying, "Do you know?"

"Know what?" Juvia feigned innocence, but Erza ruined it a second later.

"We saw the elevator only went down one floor. Weird, I remember the cafe being much lower than that."

Lucy sighed, her head dropping. Honestly, she was tired of the charade. "I wanted to... _talk_ with Natsu. We're..." She chose her words carefully. "We're trying to be friends."

"That's wonderful!" Juvia gushed, leaving the bathroom first to give Lucy a hug.

"I'm proud of you," Erza said, making Lucy shrink. She was always embarrassed when people told her they were proud of her, even if it made her feel accomplished and worthy.

Levy was the last to join the big hug. "It's about time!"

When the hug ended, Lucy gave them a short summary about what happened yesterday at the arcade bar. She didn't mention bringing Natsu back to their hotel room last night, though, judging by their mischievous smiles and waggling eyebrows, she figured they knew something was up.

Lucy also left out the part about kissing him earlier, finding it not relevant to her new friendship with Natsu. Her friends could be quite meddlesome if she didn't stay on top of things.

After she finished explaining, her friends nodded, each one of them telling her she was doing the right thing.

"It's only a silly contest after all," Levy said, but that only caused Lucy's cheek to twitch.

It wasn't silly to her, but she let the comment go. Her friends were on her side and only wanted her to be happy, just like she wanted them to be happy.

"I'm sorry for freaking out about you guys talking to them. It wasn't my place. I'm happy you found more friends."

" _Actually_ ," Levy started, but Juvia finished.

"Gray is Juvia's boyfriend."

"Wh-what?" Lucy asked, blinking as she let that soak in. "He's your _boyfriend_?"

"And I'm kind of dating Gajeel too."

"Erza?" Lucy asked, turning to the redhead.

She kept a straight face, but Lucy saw the faint blush on her cheeks. "It's complicated, but we've talked about taking things to the next level."

Lucy dropped her shoulders and her jaw. She couldn't believe just how much her friends were involved with 'The Dragons'. Hell, considering everything her and Natsu did last night, they might have been married by now if she would have tried to be his friend two years ago!

"I'm..." she started, feeling a rush of warmth spread through her chest. "I'm happy for you all," she said honestly, a genuine smile gracing her lips.

"Really?" Levy asked, earning a nod from Lucy.

"Yes." Her smile was short-lived when she glanced over at the alarm clock, catching the time. "But for the next few hours, they're our opponents. We have to put aside friendship and win this. Afterwards," a small smile returned as she shrugged, "you can do whatever you want. As long as we give it our all out there!"

"YEAH!" her teammates cheered, everyone's expressions turning serious with determination.

Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, and Jellal might have been their friends/romantic interests, but for now, 'The Dragons' were their enemy, and they needed to crush them.

* * *

Lucy sat in the backroom with her teammates. 'The Dragons' were being kept separately until the competition began. The interview had gone just as well as the year's before. She kept a calm demeanor and answered every question to the best of her abilities, thankful that the attention was split four ways. When it finished, they found themselves here.

Lucy stretched out her legs and fingers, moving her neck around so it wasn't too stiff. In less than twenty minutes, the match would begin. When she was satisfied with her body's readiness, she turned to her phone for entertainment. She wanted to wait until her friends were finished stretching before going over their strategies, wanting them to be completely focused on the plans.

Lucy clicked the button to bring her to her home page, which was Facebook. Her brows furrowed when she saw she received a new message. She clicked it, breath hitching when she saw who it was from.

 _ **Natsu Dragneel: Good luck, Lucy. May the best team win.**_

She had to force herself not to think he was messing with her. Honestly, she shouldn't have been on her phone this close to the competition, but Natsu also shouldn't have sent that message. Her paranoia was threatening to get the better of her.

She had to count to ten slowly, taking deep breaths between each number before she was able to look at her screen again. With a calm mind, Lucy typed her message back, hitting 'send' before she could change her mind.

Not too far away, Natsu's phone vibrated, his messaging app alerting him that he got a new notification.

He almost couldn't believe it when he saw her name pop up on his screen. She had actually replied.

 _ **Lucy Heartfilia: May the best team win. Good luck to you too, Dragon Boy.**_

Natsu couldn't help but snort, oddly liking the silly nickname. He didn't reply back, knowing she needed time to prepare. He did too, his heart thrumming and his underarms sweating. He was nervous to face off against 'The Fairies'. They were a force to be reckoned with.

"Is everyone ready?" one of the officials asked, giving a thumbs up when all of Natsu's teammates nodded. "We'll bring you out in a minute."

Natsu swore that minute was two seconds. Before he knew it, they were being ushered into the room with their seats, headsets, and controls.

"The game will begin in five minutes."

Natsu wanted to call bullshit, but he said nothing, taking his spot at the end while his teammates took their seats. Despite this match being set up like all the others, he knew this was going to be different. Now he wasn't trying to fight for Lucy's attention. He already got that and then some.

Now he was just fighting for his team and himself, which felt really weird to him, who based his whole professional gaming career on one girl.

Stupid, he knew, but that didn't change the facts.

"One minute."

Natsu gulped, taking a deep breath as he slipping on his headset, checking the mic before his other teammates did the same. He couldn't test out the controls yet, but he figured they were find. He knew 'The Fairies' wouldn't play dirty, even if their captain was a little dirty.

Natsu flushed, shaking his head to get the image of Lucy underneath him out of his head. _'Damn, what the hell did she do to me?'_

He almost wanted to laugh. _'Was this what Lucy felt when she said she thought I was trying to mess with her?'_ He could understand how that might be distracting, constantly thinking about his opponent's motives.

Natsu nearly jolted when the screen started its countdown. He quickly selected his guns and perks, going as fast as he could before the timer ran out, starting the game.

His blood was pumping and his mind was racing as the game began, rushing forward to eliminate his enemies...

Including Lucy.

* * *

Natsu wasn't surprised it came down to the fifth game. 'The Dragons' had two points and 'The Fairies' had two points. They were playing 'Search and Destroy', just like they had so many times before. Each team was fighting their hardest, dragging each single game inside 'Search and Destroy' to the end. The game would be won when someone won four of the mini games within, and so far they both had three points.

This was it, the very end.

Once the game began, Natsu sprinted to the bomb so he could grab it. Once he was sure he was in control of it, he ran to the closest bomb site, wanting to end the match as quickly as possible. His chest tightened when he heard the voice in his mic say, "Bomb Activated."

He had just planted the bomb, meaning they had forty-five seconds to defend it. If that happened, his team would win. If it didn't, well, second place wasn't so bad.

"Fuck!" Jellal yelled through the mic. "I'm down."

"Don't worry," Gajeel grunted a second later. "I killed Levy and Juvia."

"So just Erza and Lucy left?" Natsu asked, carefully going through one of the doors that led to the bomb he activated, waiting for someone to strike.

"Not for long," came Gray's response.

Natsu looked at the map, seeing Gray was heading his way. His eyes widened when he heard Gajeel say, "Damn it. I'm down too, but I took Erza with me."

"Protect that bomb, Natsu!" Gray yelled through the mic.

He nodded, though none of them could see them, eyes glued to their screens. Natsu turned around, heading towards the other entrance when his breath hitched. There was only one member of 'The Fairies' left, and they were currently sprinting towards him.

 _'Lucy.'_

He pressed the aim button, locking onto his target. When he went to fire, he froze, fingers not doing what his mind was screaming for him to do. Five long, grueling seconds passed, but he still wasn't able to shoot. As if in slow motion, he watched as the timer for the bomb trickled down.

 _0:14_

 _0:13_

 _0:12_

 _0:11_

 _0:10_

His heart beat doubled as soon as the beeping in his mic started doubling for every second passing.

Natsu wanted to press that fire button, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He saw Lucy pull up her shotgun, sprinting closer to him to get a better shot. For a second, Natsu was going to let her take him down, but that changed when he heard his name being called in the mic.

"NATSU! SHOOT!"

He didn't know who shouted at him, but it was enough for him to remember this wasn't about Lucy. This was about his team. He pressed the button to fire, hitting her four times before she finally went down, the screen changing due to their victory.

The bomb never went off. It didn't have to as long as everyone on the other team was eliminated.

Everything was a blur after that. He remembered getting patted on the back before they were ushered out on the stage in front of the large screen, the lights back on so they could see the crowd of cheering people. The announcer said some stuff, but Natsu's focus was lost to them, his mind a jumbled mess.

He felt good and terrible that they won. It was unlike what he felt last year. He was happy then, ready to face Lucy and see her reaction. Now he was scared, wondering what kind of hateful thing she might say.

He gulped when it came time to shake their opponents hands, easily getting through the first three girls until it came down to Lucy. His hand lowered a few inches, remembering she never shook his hand last year after he won.

Natsu saw the dull look in her eyes when she glanced up at him, the corner of her lip quirking up. She extended her hand, the words slipping out of her mouth making him feel all the more confused.

"Great game. Congratulations, Natsu."

He tried to respond, but he couldn't even open his mouth. He felt her softer hand slip into his, taking control of the shake before separating from him, walking off with the rest of her teammates.

Natsu stood there with his team, surrounded by a crowd soon after 'The Fairies' left. He kept his eyes trained on the door, the last place he saw Lucy before she disappeared. He couldn't help but think, _'Is she okay?'_

* * *

When the crowd disbursed and 'The Dragons' were left alone, 'The Fairies' went back into the room. There were people in the background taking the equipment down, but they went ignored by the eight gamers.

While everyone else started talking about the competition - _and admiring the shiny first place trophy_ , Lucy asked Natsu if they could speak alone.

She watched as he gulped before nodding, following her to the corner of the room, away from prying ears. They sat down in some seats, facing each other. Seeing the petrified look on Natsu's face made her realize she was going to have to start this, sighing as she began.

"I watched the last kill cam."

Natsu's fingers curled into fists on his lap, but other than that, she saw no signs that he heard her.

"You had that shot for a while."

Still, silence. She cocked her head, wondering what was going on in that brain of his. "Natsu?"

He blinked, seemingly coming out of whatever daze he was in. Clearing his throat, he apologized for zoning out. When Lucy brought up the last shot again, his chest tightened, the same feeling he got when he activated the final bomb.

Natsu ran a hand through his spiky locks, avoiding her gaze as he admitted, "I... I wasn't gonna shoot ya..."

Lucy shook her head, gaining his focus. "I wouldn't have wanted to win like that anyways."

"You wouldn't?" he asked, earning another shake of her head.

"I can't say I'm glad we lost," she started, pausing when she saw his lips press into a hard line, "but, I'm happy you won. I guess second place isn't the worst thing in the world. Besides, there's always next year, so watch out." She gave him a wink that made his heart flip, but that feeling was replaced a second later.

Natsu shook his head, sighing. "The guys and I talked before we came here. This is our last year."

"What?" Lucy asked, her jaw dropping. "Why?"

He shrugged, fiddling with the ends of his scarf in a nervous manner. "We're graduating soon. Everyone wants to kinda move on with their lives." His lips tugged in a half-smile. "I wish they'd keep playing, but I'm happy for 'em."

Lucy found herself asking, "And you? What are you planning on doing?"

Natsu chuckled. "I have two more semesters I gotta do before I can graduate, but after that, I'm hoping I can use my degree to get my..." A small blush tinted his cheeks as he said, "My dream job..."

"Which is?" she asked, not remembering seeing him say anything about his dream job on his Facebook. She knew what he was majoring in, but he could use it for a few different things.

"I wanna design and make video games. I've already contacted a company that does internships. That's what I'm gonna start doing once we get back to Magnolia. Kinda get my foot in the door, ya know?"

Lucy nodded, her eyes softening. "I want to write codes for video games, maybe even do some dialogue and plot plans if they'll let me, but I know I have to work my way up from there. My dream is to work for 'Sony', but we'll see."

Natsu's green eyes brightened. "Me too! They have a branch in Hargeon and Onibus! But I'm gonna try for Hargeon!"

Lucy smiled, leaning back in her seat. "Maybe one day we could work for the same branch? The one I'm looking at is in Onibus."

Natsu bit his inner cheek, wondering if he should ask. "Maybe... maybe I could look more into the Onibus one...? It's a little smaller, but it's still good. You know, if you don't mind... that is?"

Lucy shook her head slowly. "I wouldn't mind at all. Might be nice working with you." She smiled, a soft chuckle accompanying it. "We might push each other to do better."

Natsu nodded, a fire burning in his eyes at the challenge. "That'd be awesome! We should-"

"Hey Natsu! Lucy!"

The two turned to see Gray waving at them from their group. "We're gonna go get something to eat. Wanna come?"

Natsu turned to Lucy, a hopeful look on his face. "I'm kinda hungry. You?"

"Starving."

They stood up to join their group, their conversation on hold for the moment until their stomachs were satisfied. While they ate in the cafe, 'The Dragons' broke the news that this was their last competition. Though, Lucy realized quickly it was just for her sake. Erza, Juvia, and Levy didn't seem all that surprised, meaning the boys probably already told them.

However, what Lucy wasn't expecting was for her teammates to say something similar.

"I think I'm a little tired of competing," Levy was the first to say, followed by Juvia and Erza.

"It takes a lot of time," Erza said, barely able to meet Lucy's gaze.

"Juvia doesn't mind so much, but she's okay either way."

Lucy sighed, realizing what they were all wanting to say without saying it. They wanted to stop competing just like the Dragon Boys. As much as she wanted to protest - _and trust her, she wanted to protest_ , she simply nodded. "We'll talk more about it later, but okay."

What was she going to do? She couldn't exactly force them to compete. 'Or could I?' Lucy quickly shook the thought away. She couldn't, and she knew that.

The rest of their meal/dinner was a little awkward until a new conversation started.

Lucy dismissed herself first, throwing away her food before heading upstairs. She wanted to be alone for a while after hearing the news. She knew they would want to stop eventually, but she had hoped they could end it on a good note, with their last tournament resulting in winning first place.

Unfortunately for her, it didn't look like she was getting her wish, but she had to accept that. Her friend's feelings mattered more than this tournament.

As Lucy pressed the elevator button, she heard someone step up right behind her. She turned slightly, eyes widening when she realized it was Natsu, a wane smile on his face.

"Do you mind company?"

Lucy didn't have to think about it long.

"Not at all. Come on."

After yet another make out session - _she couldn't seem to keep her hands off him when they were alone_ , the two started playing video games together. Natsu was using Levy's account while Lucy used her own, playing 'Team Deathmatch' with her Black Ops 2 game.

Truthfully, Lucy found it weird being on the same team as him, but she liked it. Together, they were unstoppable. Of course, they were playing against normal people who didn't compete for a living, but the feeling was still empowering.

"Hey Lucy," Natsu started after they won another match, the screen flipping from the last kill cam to the stats. "I have a question."

"Shoot," she said, a grin on her face from the wordplay.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Wh-what?!" Lucy blinked, clearly caught off guard by the question.

A hint of a blush spread over Natsu's face as he tried again. "W-will you be my girlfriend?"

She swallowed, heart pounding as she slowly nodded. "I-I'd like that."

"You would?" he asked, surprised.

Lucy nodded. "Yeah." She bit her bottom lip, drawing his eyes there for a second before she said, "I was kind of hoping you would ask, but I didn't think you were going to..."

"I was just nervous," Natsu said, keeping the reasons why he was nervous a secret.

"I can understand why," Lucy started. As if reading his mind, she added, "You probably wanted to make sure I wouldn't get mad after this game, huh?"

Natsu felt his skin burn hot as he nodded. "Is it that obvious?"

"A little," she teased, leaning back against the headboard. They were both on her and Levy's bed, only an inch or two of space between their legs.

Lucy pressed a few buttons to take them out of the next match so they could keep talking. She picked up her phone, going to Facebook to send a certain pink haired Dragon Boy a friends request, along with a message with her phone number.

When she looked up at him, she said, "I've never done long distance, but I want to give it a shot with you."

Natsu smiled, his nervousness fading as excitement rushed in. "Awesome!"

She giggled as she put the phone away, grabbing her controller. "Want to keep playing?"

He nodded as he got ready. "Bring it."

Lucy shifted a little closer to him, their shoulders touching. "Let's crush them!"

A fire burned in their eyes as they joined a new match, working together to bring their enemies down.

Lucy wished she would have known how much better her life would have been if she would have just accepted Natsu in the beginning, but there was nothing she could do about now. She was just happy things happened to work out. There were so many ways this could have ended in a disaster.

Natsu was thankful he finally got his chance to be Lucy's friend, even if he didn't expect it to lead to more right afterwards. He was happy with how things turned out, but the journey was definitely bumpy, having more downs than ups, but he pulled through in the end.

And now, they had a friendship that was already starting off strong and a relationship that took off like a fire to dead grass, burning away the old to make room for the new.

* * *

 **Nine Months Later**

Lucy followed the person in front of her down the aisle and off the train. She had a backpack on, as well as her purse. She didn't think she would need more. She was only staying for the weekend.

Stepping onto the train station's platform, Lucy looked around. She frowned when she didn't see any familiar faces.

 _'He said he'd be here...'_

She started walking to the side to get out of people's way, pulling out her phone so she could call her boyfriend. After hearing the first ring, she heard the sound of a wild Pokemon attacking a few feet in front of her. Looking up, she saw a blur of pink running towards her.

Lucy jolted, shocked when he stopped a few inches in front of her, almost crashing into her. "Sorry, Lucy," he panted, hands falling to his knees as he hunched over. "Alarm... clock... didn't go... off."

Lucy smiled, finding the fact that he ran here amusing, especially since he seemed to have forgotten a shoe in the process. "You could have just called me. I would've waited."

Natsu shook his head, glancing up to give her a strained smile. "Nah," he started, standing up to wrap her in his arms. She could feel he was still breathing hard, but she loved the hug regardless. He was so warm and comforting. "Can't keep you waiting."

Lucy smiled, heart thrumming fast as she felt his arms tighten. Despite talking on the phone last night, it felt like she hadn't seen him in forever. Then again, it had been months since they last seen each other in person.

"So," she started, pulling away. "What part of Magnolia do you want to show me first?"

Natsu grinned, grabbing her hand before intertwining their fingers. He had missed holding her hand while being apart. "I wanna show you my apartment!"

Lucy laughed, allowing him to pull her. "Was that really your plan? Or do you just want to go back and get dressed properly?"

"A little of both," he confessed, stealing a glance over his shoulder at the beautiful woman. "I want you to meet Happy first. That okay?"

"Of course!"

She was excited to visit Magnolia after all this time. She had been looking forward to it since he visited her in her hometown a few months ago. Not only did it seem fair for her to visit him, she wanted to check the place out. The way he went on and on about how awesome Magnolia was, she had to see it for herself.

And, she was excited to see her boyfriend again. Long distance was hard, but Natsu made it all worth it. If only she wouldn't have been so stubborn earlier. She had been a lot happier ever since she intertwined Natsu into her life.

The End.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this short story! Please let me know what you thought of this story. I had a lot of fun writing it and seeing your reactions with every chapter. Thank you!**

 **I don't know if any of you are interested, but I wrote a sequel/epilogue for this story. It will be posted** **in my 'Various NALU One-Shots (Rated M)' story. It will be Chapter Five, and it will be called 'Wild'. The first part will be rated T, so you can read up to that if you want without reading the smutty parts. The rated T and M section will be divided by one of these 'XXX' so you can stop or continue reading if you wish. :) It's around 8.7K words, so it'll be pretty long, though most of it is smut. :P**

 **If you do not wish to read the epilogue, that's fine. I think this ending is good too? What do you think? I'm so glad I was able to participate in nalu week again. It's been a lot of fun (and stess, haha). Hope you enjoyed!**


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